ASCE - 'Astoria Tunnel Profile Under The East River'

AMERICANSOCIETYOF CIVIL ENGINEERS
INSTITUTED 1852
TRANSACTIONS
This society is not responsible for any statement made or opinion expressed
in its publications.
Paper No. 1359
THE ASTORIA TUNNEL UNDER THE EAST RIVER

FOR GAS DISTRIBUTION IN NEW YORK CITY*
BY JOHN VIPOND DAVIES, M. AM. Soc. C. E.
WITH DISCUSSION BY MESSRS. F. LAVIS, MILTON H. FREEMAN, W. H

BRADLEY, JAMES F. SANBORN, EDWARD WEGMANN, R. C. KELLOGG,
W. W. BRUSH, THOMAS H. WIGGIN, WIILLIAM CULLEN MORRIS, ,AND
JOHN VIPOND DAVIES.
-- --
REPRINT EDITION COPYRIGHT (C)1999 TERENCE M. KENNEDY
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AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS
INSTITUTED 1852
TRANSACTIONS
This Society is not responsible for any statement made or opinion expressed
in its publications.
Paper No. ~59
THE ASTORIA TUNNEL UNDER THE EAST RIVER

FOR GAS DISTRIBUTION IN NETW YORK CITY*
BY JOHN VIPOND DAVIES, M. AM. Soc. C. E.
WITH Discussion BY MESSRS. F. LAviS, MILTON H. FREEMAN, W. W.

BRADLEY, JAMES F. SANBORN, EDWARD WEGMANN, R. C. KELLOGG,
W. W. BRUSH, THOMAS H. WIGGIN, WILLIAM CULLEN MORRIS, AND
John VIPOnD DAVIES.
-- --
SYnoPSIS.
. The object of this paper is to describe in general the design and
construction of a tunnel of large magnitude, but generally simple in
character, and to treat more particularly certain difficulties due to
physical conditions encountered and methods used in overcoming
them.
The work described consisted of sinking two shafts, 242 and 277
ft. deep, respectively, and drivin, g a tunnel, 18 ft. on the vertical and
19 ft. on the horizontal axis, between these shafts, a distance of 4 662
ft., through rock under a river with a depth of water of 100 ft. The
main problem was to drive through a zone of decomposed rock extend-
ing on the line of the tunnel for a distance of 450 ft.
The paper is divided into fifteen parts, as follows:
. 1.-History of project and economic reasons for removal of gas
plants from Borough of Manhattan to remote districts, by providing
transmission of gas through a tunnel under the East River.
2.-General description of the construction.
3.-Description of the plant.
___- -----
* Presented at the meeting of October 6th, 1915.
THE ASTORIA TVS-NET, 595
4.-Sinking of the shafts, 30 and 42 ft. external diameter,

respectively.
5.-Tunnel driving through various rocks under normal conditions.
Geology of line of tunnel. Details of work accomplished, and rates
of progress.
6.-Tunneling through decomposed rocks under heavy water pres-
sure, together with a geological description of the sheared contacts
and conditions as actually found. In this part is described the method
of thorough exploration of the rock formation by test drilling in ad-
vance and the consolidation of decomposed material by cement grout-
ing to produce a rock formation through which the tunnel could be
safely advanced by ordinary blasting. It also describes the methods
of drilling, both with percussion and diamond drills, in preparation
for grouting; the practical application and extent of the grouting
operations ; the use of buttresses to face rotten rock to permit of
grouting ; and the use of emergency bulkheads to secure the safety
of the work and the employees.
7.-Flooding of entire work by breaking out of seam before it
was securely grouted and controlled.
8.-U nwatering the tunnel and finally plugging and securing the
source of water inlet and solidifying the rock; the methods con-
sidered and those adopted; the use of the air lift; the condition of
the Portland cement after grouting ; and the final completion of the
Tunnel excavation.
9.-Cast-steel linin, g used through the bad rock section. Assump-
tions as to the design of the lining, the details, and the erection.
10.-Drainage of the tunnel.
11.-Ventilation of the tunnel.
12.-Lighting of the tunnel.
13.-Triangulation and alignment ; methods used and results
obtained.
14.-Quantities of items making up the work; and details of COSTS
of all work executed under normal conditions.
15.-The laying of the gas mains in the tunnel. Two lines of
72-in. cast-iron pipe, each pipe length weighing 26 000 lb. Heaviest
cast-iron pipe ever manufactured. Special machinery designed and
used for laying pipe. Special machine designed and made for testing
joints of pipes as laid. Jointing and caulking of pipe mains.
596 THE ASTORIA TUNNEL
The writer has endeavored to give a comprehensive description of

the work as a whole, and to emphasize the portion of the paper cover-
ing the operation of passing through the zone of bad rock. It is
hoped that the photographs and drawings which accompany the paper
will assist in making clear the actual conditions encountered in the
field.
1.-HISTORICAL
About 35 years ago, before the general introduction of electricity,
the production of gas for illuminating and heating purposes within
the City of New York had reached such a point, with reference to
the occupation of lands for manufacturing plants and local inter-
ference with city development, as to have made it desirable to con-
sider the removal of these industries from the densely populated
sections of the city.
Consequently, on June 21st, 1886, at the request of Mr. James
W. Smith, then President of the Consolidated Gas Company, a re-
port outlining the future policy of the Company was presented by
Mr. William H. Bradley, then Engineer of the 44th Street Station
of the Company, now Chief Engineer, in which the removal of the
gas plants from Manhattan Island was strongly advocated. Follow-
ing this report, the question was thoroughly ventilated in the public
press, with strong advocacy of the suggestion that all companies then
manufacturing gas on the Island of Manhattan should remove to sites
outside the city, and that a great I central manufacturing plant should
be created on the Flushing Meadows, from which gas should be piped
to a convenient point whence it might be conveyed by tunnel under
the East River to Manhattan. For several years, however, nothing
was done with this proposition. At that time the Ravenswood Gas
Company, having a small manufacturing plant at the foot of Webster
Avenue, East River, supplied gas locally in Long Island City. About
1891, this company was reorganized by Mr. Emerson McMillin, its
corporate title was changed to East River Gas Company, and it ob-
tained from the Legislature of the State of New York the necessary
franchise rights to supply gas to New York City by a tunnel to be
constructed under the East River.
In 1892 and 1893 the writer’s firm constructed, for this new cor-
poration, a small tunnel (internal diameter 10 ft. 2 in. in the por-
THE ASTORIA TUNNEL 597
tions which were iron lined and a rectangular section 10 by 8 ft.

in the portions in solid rock) under the East River, crossing the
two channels and Blackwell’s Island. This tunnel (shown on Plate
XXIV) extends from the foot of East 71st Street, Manhattan, to the
Ravenswood works of the Company at the foot of Webster Avenue,
Long Island City. Borings and soundings were made at close in-
tervals across the channels, and as far as information could be ob-
tained (with the extremely rapid current. running in the East and
West Channels of the East River), there was every reason to believe
that the construction of a tunnel on that line would be through a
practically continuous bed of rock, although the geological informa-
tion indicated clearly the intrusion of a seam of dolomitic limestone
under each channel.
The work on this tunnel was let out by contract, and proceeded
very slowly for a considerable time, when, having sunk both shafts
and having turned the tunnel on the Manhattan side of the river,
decomposed rock was encountered at the contact between the gneiss
and dolomite under the West Channel. The contractors immediately
abandoned the work, and it was then carried on by the writer’s firm,
as Constructing Engineers, for account, and on behalf, of the Gas
Company.
This tunnel was at a depth of nearly 100 ft. below mean low
water. The depth of the water in the West Channel was 65 ft., but
that in the East Channel was only about 30 ft. Under the West.
Channel two comparatively narrow sheared contacts in the dolomite
rock were badly decomposed ; under the East Channel the contacts
between the Fordham gneiss, the mica schist, and the dolomitic forma-
tion were also extensively distorted, and, to some extent, decomposed,
but the whole of this tunnel was completed successfully with the use
of air pressure, the depth not being too great to prohibit this method
of construction.
After the completion of this tunnel the East River Gas Company
passed into the ownership of the Consolidated Gas Company, and
thereafter, the Astoria Light, Heat and Power Company was organ-
ized to construct a great central gas manufacturing plant to supply
gas to all the constituent companies. This plant was established on
a large tract of property at Lawrence Point, Long Island, at the
northerly end of the channel known as Hell Gate.
.
For several years gas from both the Astoria and Ravenswood
Plants, for the supply of Manhattan and The Bronx, had been
carried through a large pipe line to Ravenswood and thence to Man-
hattan through the 71st Street tunnel in two 36-in. mains. The
supply for The Bronx had been conducted in pipes laid in open
coffer-dam construction across the Harlem River, involving a devious
detour.
About 1903 it became necessary to consider an independent means
of conducting to Manhattan the gas manufactured at the Astoria
Plant, as at that time the center of gravity of the gas consumption
of the Boroughs of Manhattan and The Bronx combined was at a
point south of the Harlem River.
Long legal proceedings, to obtain an easement for a right of way
for a tunnel or other means of communication, delayed procedure with
this undertaking for several years.
The line of this tunnel was definitely fixed by the necessities of
the commercial situation, regardless of geological considerations, as
the New York terminus had to be at 111th Street and Pleasant Ave-
nue, where the Gas Company had a distributing station, and the
Long Island terminus had to be on the property of the Company at
Astoria, just north of Winthrop Avenue. The line, therefore, was
laid out between these two points, the Astoria end being kept as
close as possible to Winthrop Avenue, in order to conform to the
final layout planned for the gas holders of the Company. This line
passes under Ward’s Island, where it was intended to sink an inter-
mediate shaft for construction purposes, and from this shaft it was
contemplated to drive a branch tunnel to a point in The Bronx.
Borings were made at the sites of the entrance, outlet and inter-
mediate shafts, and the geological features were studied carefully.
AS the depth of the water in the channels on this line was some-
what in excess of 100 ft., and was so great that it was impossible to
use air pressure, and as the known geological conditions made it
certain that the contacts between the gneiss and dolomite formations
would give more or less trouble, it was considered desirable to place
the tunnel deep in the rock, in order to minimize trouble from open
seams. On the other hand, the necessity (in event of a deeper loca-
tion) for lengthening vertically the pipes for carrying the gas made
it undesirable that these shafts should be deeper than was reasonably
This page reserved for Plate 24
This page intentionally left blank
necessary to assure that the tunnel would pass below any serious
difficulties of geological contact. Ultimately, the depth for the tunnel
was decided on as 186 1/2ft. below mean sea level at the Manhattan Shaft
descending to 218 ft. below that level at the Long Island Shaft.
Within a prism on this line and grade, easements for right of way
were acquired, and all legal proceedings were completed.
As before stated, these legal proceedings consumed considerable
time, and in the interim the center of gravity of gas consumption
had moved north of the Harlem River, with every indication that
it would extend still farther north; and, by the time the Gas Com-
pany was ready to proceed with the work, it had become desirable to
discontinue, for the time being, the plan for constructing the tunnel
on the original line to 111th Street, and, instead, to proceed with
that of delivering gas directly from the Astoria Plant to the Borough
of The Bronx. At the same time, the Company did not desire, by any
means, to abandon its rights to construct at a later date the tunnel
from Astoria to East 111th Street., as originally laid out. This re-
arrangement necessitated the retention of the shaft near Winthrop
Avenue, Astoria, and the purchase of land at Port Morris, at the
foot of 132d Street, fronting on the East River, on which to con-
struct a shaft as the northerly outlet of the tunnel, near to, and
suitable for a connection with, the distribution system of the Central
Union Gas Works, at the foot of 138th Street and Locust Avenue,
The Bronx.
The location of the underground prism for the easement for con-
struction of the proposed future tunnel to 111th Street determined
the depth of the Astoria Shaft for the tunnel to 132d Street, and
an allowance for the necessary drainage gradient toward Astoria
determined the limitations of depth at the Bronx Shaft. At the
same time, the grade of the tunnel was lowered to the utmost limit
permissible within the prism forming the subterranean easement, as
it was recognized that on this line the axis of the tunnel would be
nearly parallel to the line of strike of the rock, and consequently
to the planes of contact between the different geological formations
to be penetrated, and therefore, in all probability, would involve more
difficulties than the previously projected tunnel to 111th Street, which
passed almost at right angles across these contacts. However, the
Gas Company considered that, notwithstanding this, it would be
simpler and wiser to face the constructive difficulties than to be
under the necessity of adoptin, g a new location which would involve
a revival of the entire legal proceedings; and, on this basis, the work
hereinafter described was designed and carried out. Plate XXV
is a profile of the tunnel and the river bottom.
On account of the uncertainties which might arise in construction,
as well as for various other reasons, the Company decided not to
invite bids from contractors on this undertaking, but to carry out the
work departmentally by its own forces, and the writer’s firm was re-
tained as Constructing Engineers in respect to the design and con-
struction.
The following description records for the most part a work of
tunnel construction of large magnitude, but comparatively simple in
character, excepting only that the general location was at a deep
level, with access only at vertical terminal shafts nearly a mile apart,
and practically entirely below navigable waterways.
The intention, therefore, in the following presentation, is to de-
scribe, in outline only, the work of normal character involved in this
construction, and to emphasize more particularly the difficulties en-
countered, and the methods by which they were overcome.
%-CONSTRUCTION.
The construction involved in this undertaking consisted of a ver-

tical shaft, 277 ft. deep, on the property of the Astoria Light, Heat
and Power Company, at Astoria, a vertical shaft, 242 ft. deep, on
private property in The Bronx, and a tunnel connecting these shafts.
Anticipating the future construction of the previously planned
tunnel direct to 111th Street, Manhattan, the shaft at Astoria was
made larger than the one at The Bronx, in order to accommodate the
future shaft installation necessary for the two tunnels; and a short
portion of the tunnel on the line to 111th Street, Borough of Man-
hattan, was constructed, so that, as future necessities arose, this
tunnel could be extended without disturbing the Astoria-Bronx service.
The necessities for the gas distribution involved the provision of
two 72-in. cast-iron mains from Astoria to The Bronx, with space in
the upper portion of the tunnel for future developments and utilities.
THE ASTORIA TUnNEL 601
This caused the adoption of a tunnel cross-section 18 ft. on the vertical

axis and 19 ft. on the horizontal axis. The vertical pipe risers, eleva-
tor frames, etc., made it necessary that the shaft should be 26 ft. in
internal diameter at the Bronx terminal, and, though the original plan
for an Astoria-Manhattan tunnel required a shaft at Astoria of only
this same size,. the modification, to provide for both a Bronx and a
Manhattan tunnel, made it necessary to increase the internal diameter
of the Astoria Shaft to 34 1/2ft.
Borings at the shaft sites showed that on the Astoria side there
was a solid rock floor approximately 50 ft. below the surface of the
ground, or about 40 ft. below mean sea level, the overlying material
being a natural deposit of sand, gravel, and boulders, which, so near
the East River, practically assured considerable water inflow in ex-
cavation. At the Bronx Shaft the rock floor was only some 13 ft.
below the surface of the ground, and was overlaid with boulders, beach
sand, and gravel. Soundings along the line of the tunnel indicated
two river channels, each having a water depth of approximately 100
ft., with a high reef lying between them. The geologic survey maps
indicated certain changes in the geological formation, with Stock-
bridge dolomite lying between the Fordham gneiss, which exists at
the locations of the two shafts and extends for a considerable distance
from each. The two deep-water channels clearly define the contacts
at each end between the gneiss and dolomite.
3.-PLANT. .
The properties for plant use, which were fenced in for the exclu-
sive use of the Tunnel Department, consisted of a plot 255 by 230 ft.,
aggregating 1.35 acres, at the Astoria Shaft, and a plot 394 by 100 ft.,
aggregating 0.96 acre, at the Bronx Shaft.. For the transportation of
men and materials between the two plants, a strong, gasoline, motor-
driven boat, commonly called an “oyster boat”, was purchased. The
hull was of wood, 51 ft. long and 14 1/2ft. beam. The boat was equipped
with an excellent, 25-h.p., direct-driven engine, with screw propeller.
In laying out the plant, careful consideration was given the ques-
tion of water transportation for excavated material, involving the use
of scows and the utilization of the excavated material to fill other
lands owned by the Company. A dock existed at the Astoria plant,
but there was only a broken rock shore with extremely steep slopes
THE ASTORIA TUNNNEL 603
at the Bronx plant, at which site a crib dock had to be built. At the
Astoria dock, 230 ft. frontage was allotted to the Tunnel Department,
and this provided berths for two scows; at the Bronx dock only one
scow could be docked on the frontage of 108 ft.
As the tunnel was to be entirely in rock, it was desirable to use
a car of as large a capacity as possible, with its body so low that a
man could readily load it. For handling rock excavation the writer
has found that a car having a wooden body is more convenient and
economical in operation and maintenance than a steel car. Figs. 1
and 3 illustrate the car designed for this purpose; it consisted of a
substantial steel underframe with an oak box body. Dumping ar-
rangements were avoided, as they would have introduced additional
height and an increase in mechanism subject to damage.
The dumps, which were placed directly over the scows at the docks,
consisted of a revolving tipple, Fig. 2, such as used in coal-mining
practice, operated with a 3-cylinder air engine, and the cars were
turned completely over in discharging into the chutes.
In order to discharge excavated material into the scows, an elevated
deck was built at each shaft, extendin, g from the shaft to the dock.
Having ample space at the Astoria Shaft, a trestle loop was built en-
tirely around the shaft location, so that the cars could be operated
around the loop, with an extension to the dock, as well as a connection
to the rock crusher which was used during part of the tunnel con-
struction. Electric locomotives were used for operating the cars on
these trestles between the shafts and the docks. Although there were
two such locomotives at each shaft, only one was in service at any
given time. These were 3-ton mine locomotives, manufactured by the
Westinghouse Electric Company, equipped with two 8-h.p. 250-volt,
direct-current motors, with a drawbar pull of 900 lb. at 6.6 miles per
hour. Power for the locomotives was supplied by third-rail contact
from the tunnel lighting circuit.
The mechanical plant at each shaft was planned with the expecta-
tion that considerable water (and consequent pumping) would be en-
countered in the tunnel driving, and that a full complement of rock
drills and labor-saving devices would be necessary, and with the inten-
tion of constructing half the length of the tunnel from each shaft. The
following plant was used.
IN3 W3QNNMiQ lVtl3N39
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ASTORIA PLANT.
Boiler-Room.-
Four 302-h.p. Heine water-tube boilers,
" " " 1 840 total boiler h.p.
Two 316-h.p. “
Six 20-in. Typhoon turbine blowers-L. J. Wing Manufacturing
Company.
Engine-Room.-
Two 100-lb. pressure, Ingersoll-Rand air compressors ; total capacity,
3 200 cu. ft. per min.
Two 42-in. Ingersoll-Rand after-coolers.
Two 54 by 120-in. Ingersoll-Rand air receivers.
One hot-well tank, 48 in. diameter, 96 in. high-G. Stuebner.
Two 50-kw., 200-ampere, 250-volt, General Electric generators.
Two 75-h.p. Harrisburg Foundry and Machine Company, hori-
zontal engines.
One Walker Electric Company switch-board for 250-kw. gen-
erators.
Two 1 200-boiler h.p. Worthington boiler feed pumps.
One 250-gal. per min. Worthington duplex pump.
One surface condenser and feed-water heater combined-12 600
lb. of steam per hour- Wheeler Condenser and Engineering
Company.
One vacuum oil separator and simplex pump-12 000 lb. steam per
hour-Warren Webster Company and Warren Steam Pump
Company.
Two closed water-tube feed-water heaters-800 h.p. to raise 24 000
lb. of water per hour from 60 to 200” Fahr.-F. L. Patterson
and Company.
One 30-gal. oil filter-- Hall Manufacturing Company.
Surface.-
One 45-ft. derrick.
Two 50-ft. derricks.
Three Lidgerwood Manufacturing Company hoisting engines for
derricks.
One l-cu. yd. Smith concrete mixer and engine.
One No. 4 gyratory stone crusher-Allis-Chalmers Company.
One 8 by 12-in. Buckeye vertical engine.
One 42-in. Ingersoll-Rand air reheater.
Two 3-ton electric mine locomotives-Westinghouse Electric and
Baldwin Company.
Blacksmith-Shop.-
One Ingersoll-Rand Ajax drill sharpener.
One Ingersoll-Rand furnace.
Two 36 by 36-in. air forges-Buffalo Forge Company.
Two hand forges-Buffalo Forge Company. ,
Machine-Shop.-
One 18-in. horizontal lathe-Niles Cement Pond Company.
" " " "
One 16-in. shaper
" " " "
One 24-in. drill press
One 3/4 to 1 1/2-in. bolt-threading machine--Wells Brothers.
One 2 1/2to 8-in. pipe-threading machine-Curtis and Curtis.
One power hack-saw- Frevert Machine Company.
One 12-in. emery wheel-Niles Bement Pond Company.
One 6 by 6-in. vertical engine-B. F. Sturtevant.
Carpenter-Shop.-
One 16 to 20-in. wood-frame rip-saw, 7 1/2 to 15 h.p.-American
Woodworking Machine Company.
One swing-saw.
One band-saw, l-in. saw, 33-in. band wheels-H. B. Smith and
Company.
Two Fairbanks grindstones.
One 6 by 6-in. vertical engine-B. F. Sturtevant.
Shaft Hoisting Equipment.-
One 10 by 12-in. reversible, compound-geared, elevator engine-
Lidgerwood Manufacturing Company.
One 12 1/4by 15-in. reversible, link-motion, single-geared, elevator
engine-Lidgerwood Manufacturing Company.
One 66 by 72-in. passenger elevator cage.
Two 66 by 96-in. material elevator cages.
Four 1 1/2-yd. shaft buckets-G. Stuebner.
Three 3/4-yd. tip buckets-G. Stuebner.
.
BRONX PLANT.
Boiler-Room.-
Three 375-h.p., Babcock and Wilcox boilers-l 125 total boiler h.p.
One induced-draft fan and engine.
Engine-Room.-
Two 100-lb. pressure, Ingersoll-Rand air compressors ; total ca-

pacity, 3 200 cu. ft. per min.
Two 42-in. Ingersoll-Rand after-coolers.
Two 54 by 120-in. Ingersoll-Rand air receivers.
One hot-well tank, 48-in. diameter, 96 in. high-G. Stuebner.
Two 50-kw., 200-ampere, 250-volt, General Electric generators.
Two 75-h.p. Harrisburg Foundry and Machine Company, hori-
zontal engines.
One Walker Electric Company switch-board for 250-kw. gen-
erators. .
Two 1 200-boiler h.p. Worthington boiler feed pumps.
One 250-gal. per min. Worthington duplex pump.
One surface condenser and feed-water heater combined-12 600
lb. of steam per hour-Wheeler Condenser and Engineering
Company.
one vacuum oil separator and simplex pump-12 000 lb. steam per
hour-Warren Webster Company and Warren Steam Pump
Cornpan\-. 4
One 30-gal. oil filter.
Surface.-
Two 50-ft. derricks.
Two 8 1/4by 10-in. non-reversible engines for derrick-Lidgerwood
Manufacturing Company.
One I-cu. yd. Smith concrete mixer and engine.
One 42-in. Ingersoll-Rand air reheater.
One 60-h.p. vertical boiler-Wickes Brothers.
Two 3-ton electric mine locomotives- Westinghouse and Baldwin
Companies.
Shaft Hoisting Equipment.-
One 10 by 12-in., reversible, compound-geared, elevator engine-
Lidgerwood Manufacturing Company.
One 12 1/4by 15-in., reversible, link-motion, single-geared elevator
engine- Lidgerwood Manufacturing Company.
One 66 by 72-in. passenger elevator cage.
Two 66 by 96-in. material elevator cages.
Four 1 1/2-yd.shaft buckets-G. Stuebner.
Three 3/4-yd.tip buckets-G. Stuebner.
TUNNEL EQUIPMENT.
Rock-Drilling Equipment-
Six Ingersoll-Rand rock drills, 2 1/4-in. pistons.
Thirty Ingersoll-Rand rock drills, 3 1/4-in. pistons.
Six Ingersoll-Rand rock drills, 3 5/8-in. pistons.
Twenty-three Ingersoll-Rand hand hammer drills.
Sixteen Ingersoll-Rand 5 1/2by 96-in. drill columns.
Twenty-eight Ingersoll-Rand drill tripods.
Concrete Equipment-
Two Blaw steel arch and side-wall forms.
Two “ “ side-wall forms.
Twelve bottom-dump buckets-G. Stuebner.
Grouting Equipment.-
Two 200-lb. pressure, Ingersoll-Rand, straight-.
line, air compressors. Total capacity 900
One 500-lb. pressure, Ingersoll-Rand, straight-
c cu. ft. per min.
line, air compressors.
In Engine-room.
Two 36 by 96-in. air receivers-Logan Iron
Works.
Two 500-lb. pressure, cast-steel , grout pans, without engines.
Eight 200-lb pressure, grout machines and engines-Cockburn
Barrow and Machine Company.
Pumping Plant.-
Two Cameron piston pumps, 115 gal. per min.
One " sinking “ 200 " " "
Five " piston " 330 " " "
Nineteen " " " 600 " " "
One " " " 800 " " "
Rolling Stock and Haulage.-

Two 8 by 10-in. endless-cable, haulage engines-Lidgerwood Man-
ufacturing Company.
Four 5 by 6-in. single-drum, hoisting engines-Lidgerwood Manu-
facturing Company.
One hundred l1/2-yd. wooden mine cars.
Thirty “V” steel, side-dump cars.
Ventilating Plant.-
Two 12-in. Sirocco fans with motors-American Blower Company.
One 30-in. ventilating fan and engine-B. F. Sturtevant.
One 42-in. centrifugal blower and engine-B. F. Sturtevant.
4.-SHAFT SINKING.
Shaft Sinking in Earth.

Astoria Shaft.-The sinking of the Astoria Shaft began on Septem-
ber 12th, 1910. Steel sheet-pilin g of United States Steel Company
section was used for the exterior sheeting through the earth section,
for a depth of 52 ft., and was braced with 16-sided timber frames, 4 ft.
apart, strapped at the joints with steel plates, to which were attached
turnbuckle tie-rods extending across the shaft for use in maintaining
the circular form. (Fig. 4.) The dump trestle having been con-
structed to circular form at a height of 15 ft. above the ground, and
the excavation being removed to 8 ft. below the ground, a frame was
prepared to the correct circular form, plumbed accurately below the
trestle form, and served as a guide for driving the sheet-piling. The
piling was cut in two lengths for the total depth, with joints staggered,
and was driven with an Arnott 2 000-lb. steam pile-hammer suspended
from a derrick.
01. . 1
was removed as the sheet-piling was driven, m order
1 l
excavation
to avoid any distortion by over-driving against boulders or rock.
Having sunk the shaft to rock level, excavation was carried down
into the rock about 4 ft. below the point of the piling, and concrete was
placed to half the ultimate thickness for the full depth of the excava-
tion, in order to secure the sheet-piling and timber frames from injury
during the further extension of the shaft construction.
Bronx Shaft. -At the Bronx Shaft, the shallow depth of the over-
lying soil and material, as well as its character, made it unnecessary
to use steel sheet-piling. Wooden sheeting of 4-in. tongued and
grooved stuff, supported by 12-sided timber frames, 4 ft. apart, was
used through the 13 ft. of earth to rock level; the permanent lining
inside this sheeting was concreted on reaching the rock floor.
Shaft Sinking in Rock.

Shaft sinking in rock was carried out by the ordinary methods,
the usual practice being to line up with concrete every 30 ft., as the
rock was of treacherous character, and the introduction of the lining

insured the employees against accidents.
For hoisting and removing the rock excavated from the shafts, and
to avoid the danger of using a swinging bucket operated from the
boom of a derrick, the permanent head-frame, Fig. 5, to be equipped
later for the use of elevator cages, was erected, with overhead hoisting
sheaves and the regular elevator hoisting engines. One of these ele-
vator wells was then fitted with guide-framing below the landing, and
at the level of the landing a broad-gauge track crossed the elevator
opening, with trap-doors fitted to insure safety. The spoil buckets
were hoisted through this trap and landed on a flatcar run through
the elevator opening before the hoisting rope was detached.
Water entered from numerous rock joints at various points in sink-
ing the shafts, but not in such volume as to retard the progress of the
work, except by the time lost in the removal by the derrick of the
pumps and hose when blasting. This shaft water was readily handled
in each shaft by one 350-gal. per min. steam-driven pump.
Two water rings were placed in each shaft as the sinking proceeded,
in order to intercept the water seepage and prevent it from pouring on
the men working below. Each ring was simply a 6-in. wooden shelf
with gutter board sheathed with zinc, and a 3-in. pipe extending to the
shaft bottom for drainage. Later, these leaks were stopped by grout-
ing, while the driving of the tunnel was in progress.
Astoria Shaft.- At the bottom of the Astoria Shaft the design
provided for an enlargement, about 41 ft. high, 34 1/2ft. wide, and ex-
tending some 19 ft. beyond the neat shaft lines. This was to be used
ultimately as an operating chamber for the distribution of gas, but it,
as well as the short length of 100 ft. of tunnel in the direction of the
future Manhattan Shaft at 111th Street, was utilized, during the con-
struction of the tunnel, as a pump chamber and store-room. This en-
largement extended 16 ft. below the tunnel invert, and, in addition,
contained a 5-ft. circular sump 8 ft. deep, so that ample provision was
afforded for the accumulation of the expected water flows and for
settling any solid matter carried with the water.
Bronx Shaft Sump.- As the tunnel drained southward toward
Astoria, a similar sump was not required in the Bronx Shaft, but
ample precautions were taken by the construction of a rectangular
sump, 21 ft. long, 12 ft. wide, and 8 1/2 ft. deep.
.
FIG. 4 .-LOOKING DOWN THE ASTORIA SHAFT.

FIG. 5.- HEAD-HOUSE. ASTORIA END OF TUNNEL.
FIG. 6 .-HEADING AT STATION 35 + 36.

Quantities.- The following tabulation presents the unit quantities

relating t3 the shaft sinking in rock:
Astoria Bronx
Drilling and Blasting. Shaft. Shaft.
Feet drilled per actual cubic yard. . . . . . . . . . . . 3.9 3.3
Linear feet of drill steel used per cubic yard. . 0.174 0.172
Pounds of 60% Forcite used per cubic yard. . . . 1.2 1.1
Progress and Unit Costs.- Excellent progress was attained in the

shaft construction at both ends. This, together with the unit costs
of shaft construction, is shown in Table 1. The dimensions of the
shaft are given in Table 2. The total unit costs of the shafts are
given in Table 3.
TABLE 1.-UNIT COSTS OF SHAFT CONSTRUCTION.
_ -_-----.-
ACTUAL WORKING DAYS DAILY AVERAGE. iN
CUBIC YARDS. OF 24 HOURS EACH. ACTUAL CUBIC YARDS.
Bronx Bronx y;+;;” ’ Bronx

Shaft. Shaft. . . i Shaft.
Excavating earth.. . 2 687 367 16.8 2.9 159.7 126.6

Excavating rock. . . . 11 542 5 939 123.4 97.9 93.5 60 7
Placing concrete.. . . 3 178 1 621 37.2 23.3 85.5 69.6
I
Total construction. . 177.4 124.1 . ..... ......
TABLE 2.-DIMENSIONS OF SHAFTS.
Astoria Shaft. Bronx Shaft.

!
External diameter, earth section ............................. 42 ft. 30 ft.

External diameter, rock section ............................... 38 1/8 ft. 28 1/2 ft.
Internal diameter .............................................. 34 1/2ft.
Depth .......................................................... 276 1/2 ft. 242 ft.
--~- ._-- -
TABLE 3.-UNIT TOTAL COSTS OF SHAFTS.
PER ACTUAL PER

CUBIC YARD. LInEAR FOOT.
Astoria
Shaft.
Earth excavation ............................ $7.05 $2.67 $365.81 $75.39

Rock excavation .............................. 10.48 11.22 535.84 275.44
Concrete lining ............................... 14.21 13.76 163.28 92.16
5.-TUNNEL DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS.
Bronx Heading.- The Bronx Shaft reached a sufficient depth for

turning the heading on February 12th, 1911, and the latter was driven
for a short length before completing the shaft and sump, so that tunnel
driving really began on March 8th, 1911, and continued under normal
conditions through sound, close-grained gneiss until August 29th,
1911. At that time the first appreciable delay occurred when the
heading entered the expected contact seam of decomposed, water-
bearing dolomite, 771 ft. from the shaft center, at which point the
water depth in the river is 80 ft. below mean sea level, and the deep
river channel corresponds in location to this dolomitic intrusion.
Astoria Heading.- At the Astoria end, work on the main tunnel
did not begin until April 8th, 1911, when the headings of both the
Bronx and Manhattan Tunnels were already turned. As in The Bronx,
the headings were turned when the shaft reached the level of the floor
of the top heading, and prior to completing the shaft sinking; the
advance toward The Bronx continued until April 23d, 1911, during
which time about 80 ft. of the Manhattan Branch Tunnel were driven.
Owing to the large chamber arrangements necessary at the bottom of
the Astoria Shaft, work on the main tunnel was not resumed from this
end until June 23d, 1911, and it continued without incident until
November 7th, 1912, a distance of 3 536 ft. from the shaft center.
Geology.-For the first 1200 ft. from Astoria the tunnel was driven
through a hard, compact, and tough granitic gneiss, requiring heavy
drilling and large consumption of powder. For the next 2 336 ft. the
tunnel passed through the dolomite, and the passage through the east-
erly contact between the gneiss and the dolomite was made without
any apparent disturbance or shear of the geological structure, a con-
dition quite different from the contact encountered in the Bronx head-
ing, where the geological change was featured by violent shear, ac-
companied by innumerable water fissures and excessive disintegration.
At a point 3 536 ft. from the Astoria Shaft, this heading met the first
indications of the water-bearing disintegration of the westerly contact
between the gneiss and the dolomite. (Fig. 6.) The final results de-
veloped the fact that the entire width of this decomposed contact nor-
mal to the strike was some 150 ft., whereas the angle of crossing made
by the tunnel involved a total distance of 350 ft., measured on the axis
of the tunnel, or 450 ft. between points of contact on the two side lines.
Excavation. -For the tunnel excavation, the top-heading-and-bench
method was adopted, maintaining the bench some 50 ft. behind the
heading. During the early part of the work the arch lining was not
placed as the excavation advanced, these exposed sections being con-
creted later by using steel forms, and work was performed simul-
taneously with, and without hindrance to, the driving of the heading
and bench. On deciding to place the arch lining along with the tun-
nel advance, a system of alternate excavating and concreting was
adopted, with excellent results as to progress attained. This method
consisted of excavating both the heading and bench from 8 A. M. Mon-
day to 8 P. M. the following Friday, the remainder of the 6-day week
(until 8 A. M. Sunday) being occupied in placing the concrete arch.
By this method the maximum monthly progress was made, being 269
ft. of full tunnel section excavated and arch lined. The average
progress maintained by this method was 53 ft. of heading, bench, and
concrete arch per 6-day week, which, in volumetric measure, equalled
675 cu. yd. of neat-line excavation and 81 cu. yd. of neat-line concrete
arch.
The average unit drilling and blasting quantities incidental to driv-
ing the tunnel 4 274 lin. ft., or 92% of the total length, under normal
conditions, are presented in Table 4.
TABLE 4.-AVERAGE UNIT DRILLING AND BLASTING QUANTITIES FOR

TUNNEL.
---
-- -_______- __----- ---__ ----w-
AVERAGE PER ACTUAL CUBIC YARD.
Fordham Gneiss. Stockbridge Dolomite.
Heading. 1Bench Total. 1 Heading. / Bench./ Total. s
Drilling, in feet #......................

Pounds of powder used .............
Number o f exploders ...............
Overbreakage.--Notwithstanding numerous experiments in the

placing of drill holes for face of heading and bench, it was found that
neither the gneiss nor the dolomite rock could be blasted without great
irregularity in cross-section. The large quantities

of blasting gelatin
needed to pull the rock caused considerable overbreakage. Careful and
repeated cross-section measurements, checked by the volume of con-
crete used to complete the lining, indicated that, notwithstanding the
particular care taken, overbreakage outside of the neat line of minimum
lining section in the sound sections of good rock amounted to 18% in
the gneiss and 12 1/2%in the dolomite.
Drilling and Firing.- The typical arrangement and length of drill
holes for blasting, for both heading and bench, are given in the dia-
gram, Fig. 7, as applicable to both the gneiss and dolomite, under
normal conditions. In all cases holes were started with 3-in. drills,
which were reduced 1/4-in. in diameter with each 2-ft. advance, to a
final diameter of 1 3/4-in. for the 12-ft. holes.
Fig. 7 also indicates graphically the arrangement of wiring, and
the order of shooting, the holes.
Two double-strength “Victor” fuses were always used in regular
course to insure the proper explosion of charges.
All firing was done by magneto batteries maintained about 500
ft. back of the heading, the wire connections to the heading always
being strun g on the side of the tunnel opposite that on which electric
light wires were placed.
Both for heading and bench excavation 3/8-in. steel shoveling
plates were used on the floors for facilitating the mucking operations.
In the varied classes of rock throughout the tunnel headings the
speed of drilling was 9.9 lin. ft. per hour per percussion machine.
The bench drilling was easily maintained at the equivalent rate of
progress.
Practically all the best known brands of drill steel furnished in
the New York market were tried out on the work, resulting in the
adoption of “ABC non-tempering” steel, which, in these rocks and
under the conditions, was found more durable and showed less break-
age in dressing and drilling than the others.
The average progress of excavation attained during the tunnel
driving under normal conditions, consisting of 4 274 lin. ft., or 92%, of
the ultimate length, and, based on the advance of one heading only,
is given in Table 5. In this tabulation only the total accumulative
time chargeable to excavation is considered, with a 24-hour actual
working day as the unit.
TYPICAL METHODS OF DRILLING HEADING AND BENCH IN GNEISS
SECTIONAL PLAN AA
---lst Shot Heading cut and first round of bench.

66 relievers and second round
of bench.
b4 trimmers and any necessary
bench trimmers.
Period from June 22d, 1911, to January 24th, 1912.
Astoria End From Sta. 1+00.7 to Sta. 14 +44.8, or 1344.1 ft.
Gneiss =1100 ft. Limestone =244 ft.
Period from April 10th. 1911, to July 22d, 1911
Bronx Fnd From Sta. 45 + 66.5 to Sta. + 39.50.5, or 616 ft.
Gneiss = 616 ft.
Astoria Bronx Astoria Bronx
Item Heading Heading Bench Bench
Strength and Size of Powder used. 60%1 1/2-in. Forcitc
cut 6 St.icks
Quantity of Powder per Hole Reliever 5 44 5 Sticks
Trimming 4"
Size of Starting and Ending Bits 3-in and 1 3/4-in.
E-44 lng. Rand - 3 5/8-in.

cylinders. Mounted on
E-44 Ing. Rand.
Columns.
Dri 1Is Used 3 5/8-in. cylinders.
Mounted on
E-94 lng.Rand-4 1/2-in.
cylinders. Mounted on T’ripods
Columns.
Average number of Drills used at one time 5 4
Average time drilling a Complete Hound 44.1 man-hr. 56.5 man-hr.

Average elapsed time for removal of Round 15.1 hr. 21.3 hr.
Average quantity of Powder per cubic yard 4.9 lb. 1.25 lb.
Average feet of hole drilled per cubic yard 5.3 ft. 5.7 ft.
5.3 ft. per man 4.6 ft. per man

Average feet of hole drilled per hour includes set- includes set-
ting up. ting up.
In Driving through Dolomitic Formation, the Heading Holes were all lengthened 1 ft.
FIG. 7.
TABLE 5.-PROGRESS OF ROCK EXCAVATION IN TUNNEL UNDER

NORMAL CONDITIONS.
--_- -_-_ --___._____
-~ ______________- _.__-_
___-._c_--__-- ---_-_--__
.._____-- ._..- - _._ __--__--
. _.__.------ ____
-.--_---------_-_.
--.---_-.---- _ __--
Linear feet AVERAGE DAILY PROGRESS.

of full -------- -
. tunnel
Actual
section.
cubic yards. Linear feet l
-- ----
Fordham Gneiss:
Astoria end ....................................... 1 195 8.72 121.7
Bronx end. ...................................... 757 6.62 94.9
Mean ............................................. 1 952 7.79 113.0
Stockbridge Dolomite:
Astoria end, in dolomite l
MeanAstoria end, in gneiss anii dolomite . . . . . . . . . .

Mean result for both ends of tunnel, in gneiss and
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 322
3 517 I 11.68
10.43
164.4
148.8
dolomite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...*....
__~_____
-_____ - ~.
._____
_. _____
_-_ __-
-. _
_____
_.__. .-
- _
- -
_
-_
-_
---
-- - - -w-e---
____
4 274
_____--_
-------
I 9.46
-_-_
. .- - ____. ____
_. - ._ _--
_--___--
135.1
-- ----
--.-
-- -
.--
--
- 4
Based on the results in Table 5, the average monthly (30-day) ad-

vance of completed tunnel, excavation only, was 284 lin. ft., or 4 054
actual cu. yd., in one heading.
Although the rate of progress was not as great as in other tunnels,
.
of which reports have been published, the results obtained are thought
to be very satisfactory, considering the general conditions of hoisting
from a deep level, particularly as at no time was it considered by the
management desirable to enter into the system of bonusing men to
obtain record results. The entire work was carried out on a normal
wage basis, without any attempt to offer other or special inducements
to the labor to accomplish records. The progress of the work was per-
fectly regular and remarkably uniform, both at the Bronx and Astoria
Shafts, up to the time of meeting the contact of decomposed rock at
each end.
Concrete Arch. -The portion of sound rock tunnel driven from
both the Bronx and Astoria Shafts was a hard, solid structure, but the
rock indicated extensive jointing, with a tendency to scale away and
for blocks of rock to fall without warning, a condition due to the char-
acter of the rock and also to the heavy blasting operations. There-
fore what had been anticipated to be an untimbered tunnel, necessi-
tated early the consideration either of timbering or of carrying the
lining along with the tunnel operations, in order to insure the safety
of the workmen. After careful consideration of the advantages and
disadvantages of these two methods, it was decided to construct the
arch lining, and, on account of the original cross-section adopted, to
finish this arch lining to a skewback intended for the bottom concrete
in which the permanent cast-iron gas mains were to be solidly em-
bedded; this arch lining, hanging to the arch, was supported only on
the irregularly jointed section of the rock walls.
Change of Design.- From the commencement of this work it had
been contemplated to embed the cast-iron gas pipes solidly and per-
manently in concrete, and to make a floor above them, but, after 2 867
ft. had been lined in this way, the design was reconsidered and a
revision made, whereby the pipes would be left exposed and a deck
would be inserted above them. The tunnel has been left com-
pleted according to this plan (Fig. 8). This obviously necessitated,
subsequent to the completion of other parts of the tunnel lining, cut-
ting out portions of the arch lining and skewback which had pre-
viously been constructed. In the remaining length of the tunnel, the
arch concrete was supported by timber sills on posts, the side-walls
and invert not being placed until the complete excavation of the tun-
nel from end to end, when the sills and posts were removed as the wall
lining proceeded.
This method of procedure was peculiar, in that, for the entire job,
the arch lining was first executed. Then, when the tunnel was holed
through, and the steel lining, hereinafter described, was being erected
in the decomposed section, the invert was put in place by trimming
the rock floor, in lengths ahead of concreting and laying the invert, to
accurately placed side-forms. The forward end of each length of in-
vert was laid out with a curved cross-form which gave accurately the
section of the concrete to be laid; this was swept with straight-edges,
using the last completed length of invert for the rear sweep and a
wooden form for the forward end. The joints at the side-forms, as
well as the cross-joints, were designed so as to lock thoroughly with the
abutting concrete to be placed later. On the completed invert, after
it had come to strength, was laid a track of 60-in. gauge, on which were
operated two complete collapsible steel forms, each 50 ft. long; and
these were used for the construction of the intervening side-walls, the
two side-walls being concreted simultaneously. These forms, Fig. 9,
were set up 100 ft. apart, and were advanced 100 ft. at each move, so
that each form was used for alternate lengths of side-wall lining, thus
permitting the setting up of one form while the concreting was pro-
ceeding the other ; this enabled continuous working operations.
Although these forms ran on the 60-in. track laid on the tunnel invert,
they had on the bottom frame a standard tunnel-gauge track, with a
short incline at each end, so that other operations in the tunnel could
proceed by running the tunnel cars through the lower portion of the
steel frame. There was an elevator at each end of each form to raise the
concrete cars to the upper level, so that they could be run to any point
for dumping. The collapsible feature of the steel forms was obtained
by using jacks and turnbuckles, and the upper platform of the forms,
which was the dumping platform, was practically at the springing line
of the arch where the joint was made between the side-walls and the
arch already in place.
Before placing the forms the surfaces were well oiled. The moving
was done by a small air-driven engine on the dumping platform. This
engine was also used to operate the elevator. These forms worked ad-
mirably after they had been reconstructed, to some extent, to meet
the conditions. The progress obtained with their use was one SO-ft.
section each working day, and this rate was maintained with almost
perfect regularity for a length of 3 310 ft. of tunnel.
The proper keying of the side-wall concrete to the arch skewback
was accomplished, after a number of experimental methods were tested,
by forming a wooden chute at the base of the joint and to a level of
about 1 ft. above it, through which wet concrete was filled in and
rammed into the joint with rods, in order to work the concrete
into close contact with the arch skewback and enable the air bubbles
to escape. This left a projecting lump of concrete at the joint, but,
just prior to moving the forms forward, these chutes were removed
and the projecting concrete was chipped off to the neat lines while
the concrete was still green. The results of this method were quite
satisfactory.
Throughout the work of placing the concrete lining in the arch,
side-walls, and inverts, it was considered, owing to the heavy pres-
sures which would come on the lining by any seepage of water, that
all voids between the arch section and the solid rock should be entirely
filled with concrete. Plums of broken stone, however, were used
freely where the concrete exceeded in thickness the neat section.
Con-
sequently, no loose packing of rock, behind the arch or walls was done
in any portion of the work, and,. throughout the tunnel, on the com-
ARRANGEMENT OF CONCRETE ARCH

FOR ORIGINAL CROSS-SECTION
Portion shown dotted

on each side removed
after change of plan
of lining sections
” Cast-iron brackets secured

by 2 1/4” Belts
2 Side-wall sections placed

simultaneously with traveling
Steel-Flame Blaw Forms
SEQUENCE OF OPERATIONS IN PLACING CONCRETE

LINING FOR FINAL CROSS-SECTION
FIG. 8. .
pletion of the entire lining from end to end, grouting was carried out
by the use of grout pipes which had previously been left projecting
from the lining so as to insure absolute solidity of the lining.
6.-TUNNELING UNDER ADVERSE CONDITIONS THROUGH DECOMPOSED
WATER-BEARING DOLOMITE.
As stated previously, no evidence of any shear or disintegration
was disclosed at the eastern contact between the gneiss and the dolo-
mite; but the western contact, as encountered from the Astoria end,
was featured by some 354 ft. (along the tunnel center line) of highly
decomposed dolomite with a heavy flow of water. It is interesting to
note that, of this 354-ft. belt, the eastern side was advanced to a
farther state of decomposition than the western, the rock mass con-
taining countless seams of decomposed material and pockets of residual
clay, all so disintegrated and distorted that’ the cleavage planes were
not distinguishable, and though the strike maintained regularity, the
dip was most irregular; in fact, at numerous points it was indetermin-
able.
The seams were so extremely decomposed that the material con-
sisted only of a micaceous greensand, so porous that, on exposure,
water quickly formed a free passage. Usually, these seams were little
better than loose sand, although at times they choked the rock seam
to such an extent as to yield practically no flow of water.
The first contact with the decomposed rock (which was met in
driving the Bronx heading) seemed to indicate the likelihood of getting
through the contact without serious difficulties, as the tunnel, after
careful grouting, was advanced a considerable distance in rock, which,
though excessively distorted and water-bearing, had sufficient strength
to carry the pressures without danger. At the same time, it was de-
sirable to protect this headin, g as it advanced, and the arch was carried
on heavy timbering in order to guard against falling rock. Having
extended this length on timbering, it was thought that the insertion
of cast-iron lining for this section might enable the work to advance
successfully, particularly as the rock appeared to be getting stronger
and harder beyond the first point of contact. As immediate delivery
could be obtained of cast-iron segments made from the patterns from
which the Pennsylvania North River Tunnel segments were con-
structed, a short length of 50 lin. ft.. was cast, delivered, and promptly
FIG. Q.-Smkx, FOR,M FOR PLACING CONCRETE LINING.
FIG. 10. --HEADING AT STATION 37 + 00, SHOWING SAND HOLE.

erected in this wet, water-bearing, rock section. Then, inside the iron
lining, concrete was inserted to the neat finished section adopted for
the tunnel. This lined section remained in place in the finished work
as an intermediate portion between two sections of cast-steel internal
lining subsequently erected, which the following record describes.
The seams of greensand developed a maximum width of about 6 ft.
at 3 750 ft. from the Astoria Shaft (Fig. 10). In this vicinity also,
various pockets in the greensand seams were disclosed; one in par-
ticular being 4 ft. square and 20 ft. long, from which the previous
water flows had evidently washed the sandy material.
On Plate XXIV, taken from the published Geological Survey,
which presents the historical geology surrounding the Astoria Tunnel, it
will be observed that there is a non-conformity in the plan defining the
positions of the lines of contact as between the north and south sides
of the Bronx Kills. This has been accounted for by assuming the
existence of a cross-fault between Randall’s Island and The Bronx,
marking the course of the Bronx Kills. Although no conclusive evi-
dence of the existence of such a cross-fault was observed during the
driving of the tunnel, indications of its possible existence and prox-
imity were observed. The material encountered in the vicinity of the
assumed cross-fault was so disintegrated and decomposed, and the
conditions for observations were so unfavorable, that it is doubtful if
such a fault would be readily recognized in passing through it.
It has been assumed, however, that the tunnel passed through this
hypothetical cross-fault, as shown on Plate XXVI, this assumption
being based on two important facts:
1.-The distortion of the line of contact; and
2-The rock structure encountered.
(1) It is quite natural that a cross-fault should have a limit of

length, so that, in the case of this particular one, though it may ex-
tend through tbe Bronx Kills, as assumed, it may not necessarily ex-
tend to the path of the Astoria Tunnel. Such being the case, it seems
possible that the actual fault at its eastern end terminates very close
to the tunnel path, and that this end, instead of consisting
of an
abrupt fracture, is a gradual bend or distortion of the rock mass. That
such a distortion was passed through is clearly shown on Plate
XXVI. This . distortion of the actual line of contact between. the
hard micaceous gneiss on the west and the badly decomposed dolomite
on the east, was encountered by an abrupt bend, 858 ft. from the center
of the Bronx Shaft, and extended along the tunnel line some 70 ft.
The maximum distortion was 10 ft., at a point midway along its
length, at which point the hypothetical
. cross-fault has been assumed.
(2) The rock structure encountered at this point (893 ft. from
the center of the Bronx Shaft), in addition to being extremely porous,
was greatly shattered, more so than at any other point in the tunnel.
The dolomite, especially, appeared like a mosaic of inlaid tile slabs,
quite small (3 to 4 sq. in.), and readily removed by hand, although
the individual pieces were moderately hard. It was at this place
(Fig. 11) that three large water-flows burst forth at various times.
One was an average single flow of 1 000 gal. per min., and in addition
to this water, it carried in sediment large quantities of greensand and
countless hard rock fragments. Here, too., it was necessary to termi-
nate two heading drifts from the Bronx end. To the north of the as-
sumed cross-fault, the actual contact between the gneiss and dolomite
consisted of a continuous small seam, 1/4 in. wide, of soft brown mud,
and to the south of this point the contact plane was featured by a
3 to 4-ft. seam of hard, firm, bluish-green clay.
In this section of New York City, observation has established the
existence of cross-faults, one at 138th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue,
and one parallel to it, south of Hell ‘Gate, and crossing the East River
north of Blackwell’s Island.
Water Flows.-Th e water-bearing fissures in the 354 ft. of decom-
posed dolomite were quite numerous, sixteen appreciable streams, each
averaging from 300 to 10 000 gal. per min., under a full pressure head
of 95 lb., having been encountered. These flows were usually quite
sudden, and were accompanied by an inrush of greensand, the maxi-
mum flow of 10 000 gal. alone washing in 400 cu. yd. of sand, coal, etc.,
and, during a period of 6 weeks, some 1 700 cu. yd. of sand were washed
into the Astoria heading. The establishment of a direct connection to
the river bed was proved by the appearance of air bubbles on the river
surface during grouting operations in the headings, as well as by the
quantities of coal, wood, shells, bricks, etc., washed in at various times.
Method of Attack- On account of the great depth of the tunnel
and the resultant pressure head (95 lb. per sq. in.), any compressed-air
methods of attack were out of the question, and, on account of the
FIG. 11 .-WATER FLOW 137 DRIFT AT STATION 37 + 71.
FIG. 12 .--GROUT PIPES, STATION

. 38 + 55 TO STATION 39 f Oil.
necessities of the gas supply, it was not desired to go to any lower

level in an attempt to pass under the disintegrated bed of dolomite.
It was consequently necessary to drive the tunnel at the original depth
and alignment, so that the proposition presented was a difficult one.
The theory on which tunneling operations were executed through
the decomposed rock formation was the thorough exploration of the
formations ahead by test holes and the consolidation of the rock by
grouting. It was very obvious, in working in a narrow top heading,
even by drilling numerous holes in the form of a fan, that a very
limited area could be reached for consolidation, and as the percussion
drill, working on more or less horizontal or dry holes, is only capable
of extending to a depth of about 20 ft., the tunnel section which it is
possible to consolidate is very short, particularly in view of the fact
that there is a definite limit to the number of grout holes which can
be drilled into the face of such a small heading (Fig. 12), and that
considerable time must be allowed for cement grout to attain strength
to permit of blasting safely. It was obvious, therefore, that a greater
area of attack must be provided, and this was done on the theory of
diverting the heading from the straight line to lines external to the
final side lines of the tunnel, following the line of the strike of the
sound rock as far as possible to permit of cross access to the decom-
posed strata. By doing this a long face could be exposed from which
the drilling could proceed. Further, whenever the rock was sound
and reasonably hard, a full and adequate anchorage for the grout pipes
was naturally provided, but, if the rock was decomposed, seamy, and
water-bearing, it was usually found to be so soft that proper anchorage
could not be obtained for the grout pipes. In such cases it became
necessary to construct buttress faces to the soft rock after exposure,
before grout pipe holes could be drilled and pipes inserted. The work
was carried out on the further theory that grouting above the extrados
of the arch and outside the side-walls, within the limit of the top
heading, would in all reasonable probability cut off the direct access
of heavy water flow and consequent danger of breaks occurring in the
bottom. This was carried out to the end of the work and proved suc-
cessful, as was illustrated by the fact that it was found unnecessary
to do any grouting of considerable extent in order to take out the later
bench excavation, the water-bearing seams having evidently been
plugged at the higher level and the resistance of the decomposed mate-
rial in the seams being adequate to resist any indirect access or flow.
Reference has been made to the necessity for buttressing the face
of soft rock to provide anchorage for grout pipes, in the event of the
rock being unsound and not giving adequate security for the insertion
of such pipes. In such cases, owing to the high pressures involved,
these concrete buttresses were allowed to set for practically two
weeks on each occasion before they could be utilized.
When such buttresses were set and thoroughly hard, or when sound
rock existed, the process of preparing the grout pipes for use, as indi-
cated by Fig. 13, was generally as follows:
The drilling was commenced with 6-in. percussion drills, and entered
from 3 to 4 ft. deep into the concrete buttress or hard rock. A piece
DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATING INSERTION OF

GROUT PIPES IN ROCK FOR HIGH-PRESSURE GROUTING.
FIG. 13.
of 4-in. pipe, about 1 ft. longer that the depth of the hole, was then
wrapped tightly with baggin, g and wound around with marline to secure
it tightly to the pipe, the quantity of bagging being put on up to
practically the dimensions of the 6-in. hole. The wrapped pipe was
then inserted in the hole, and driven to its extreme end, no thread,
flange, or other protector being put on the inner end of this first
length of pipe. When thus inserted the wrapping was caulked back
into the hole, and steel wedges were inserted and driven tightly between
the 6-in. hole in the rock and the body of the 4-in. pipe. These wedges
were driven so hard as to indent the 4-in. pipe and secure it rigidly.
A screwed flange was then put on the outer end of this 4-in. nipple
and an open gate-valve was attached to the flange, in order to provide
a clear opening equal to the diameter of the pipe. Drilling then pro-
ceeded through the gate-valve, commencing with 3-in. percussion drills
and telescoping if necessary, as the drilling advanced. The length of
the test holes rarely exceeded 20 ft. Of course, it will be understood
that where the drilling was carried out from narrow cross-headings,
and the holes were drilled at an angle with the strike, the effective
length was reduced on account of the lack of clearance to insert long
drills.
Reference is made in the following pages to the use of the diamond
drill. On first meeting the decomposed rock at the Bronx end, a
l7/8-in. diamond drill was set up in the heading and holes were driven,
one at the elevation of the heading, horizontally at right angles to the
strike of the rock, in order to intercept the seams at right angles to
the general strike ; and two holes straight ahead on the axis of the
tunnel, one horizontally and one pointing downward. The hole
right angles to the strike of the rock was extended in only some 50 ft.,
but the long holes ahead were extended for about 200 ft., and these
drill holes gave an excellent idea regarding the conditions to be met,
as far as drilling could be accomplished with the small machine used.
At a later date, a heavier diamond drill, capable of drilling 3-in. holes,
was used, and gave much more satisfactory results. The use of the
diamond drill for long holes was extended considerably, previous to
and after the flooding of the tunnel, giving long penetration and pro-
viding a means for grouting at considerable distances. The later
diamond drill outfit was of the Sullivan type, of heavy construction,
and proved to be admirably adapted to work of this character. In the
entire construction through this decomposed rock section, some 3 300
test holes were drilled, aggregating a length of about 43 300 ft. by
percussion drills, in addition to seventeen diamond drill borings aggre-
gating a length of 1 500 ft.
Grouting in the Astoria Tunnel has probably exceeded very greatly
that in any other work executed, in consolidating soft fissured rock,
and in stopping extensive and large leaks at high pressure. Grouting
at a higher pressure was done on the Catskill Aqueduct, though the
volume of inflow was probably very much less. In the case of the
Astoria Tunnel, the grouting was a continuous operation for consoli-
dating and cementing decomposed rock throughout the entire length
of the sheared contact between the gneiss and dolomite, and as such
634 THE ASTORIA TUNNEL c
served the purpose, a result which has not, it is thought, been ap-
proached or attempted in other work. The work involved was the
conversion of a rotted and decomposed rock filled with fissures into a
solid and substantial substance through which the tunnel could bea
driven and, incidentally, at the same time, stop the influx of water.
In the grouting operations it was found to be almost impossible to
grout into a seam of decomposed dolomite sand. This would apply
equally to any other sand or material filling seams, which is likely to
be scoured out by a flow of water. On meeting a seam filled with
decomposed rock sand, the indications on this work were, that the
sand was practically impervious, but, after a short exposure to water
flow, the soft rock abutting on the seam became water-loaded and
softened; then the passage of small quantities of water loosened and
demoralized the sand filling the seams, following which the sand was
scoured out, thus forming an open water channel. Therefore, it was
found particularly desirable, after drilling grout holes into a seam
filled with sand, to rake the sand out with rods, as far as was feasible,
and then to allow these test holes to flow freely, by blowing with high-
pressure air or in any other way, the idea being to get the sand to flow
with the water and thus empty the seam, after which the grouting
operation was much more thorough, successful, and permanent. When
these seams were emptied of the sand and grouted at high pressure
the result was practically a solid rock formation, and the tunnel could
be built by blasting operations with security; whereas a seam not so
clear of sand would resist the flow of grout and be a menace to the
future advance of the tunneling operations.
Glass Tunnel Model.-In order to present clearly the actual geologi-
cal information, disclosed both by direct observations and test-hole
exploration, so as to determine the most advantageous direction of
drift attack, an unusual method was designed by the field engineers
and applied to this work. This consisted of a glass plate tunnel model.
As the general strike of the rock containing the numerous seams of
disintegration was nearly parallel to the tunnel line, and the dip was
decidedly irregular, it was impracticable to plot the geological data
on drawings and still have them clear and of working value, as they
could not conveniently be superimposed. This condition was admira-
bly simplified by this glass plate model, constructed at the tunnel
works. This method of geological plotting proved quite successful, as
the conditions of the explored rock structure were clearly presented at

a glance, proving an important factor in the determination of the
various methods of attack adopted.
This model consisted of a series of glass plates, 16 in. square, placed
upright in a skeleton frame, 12 ft. long, and arranged to scale corre-
sponding to the 5-ft. tunnel stationing. As the tunnel driving pro-
ceeded, the actual lines, drifts, bulkheads, timbers, iron rings, etc.,
together with the exposed disintegrated seams and the test-hole infor-
mation, were all painted with oil colors on the plates, this work being
always maintained up to date, so that the conditions actually existing
were always visible.
Blasting was naturally performed with very light charges, necessi-
tated by the unsound strata, as water flows were easily started, not only
by the shattering of the rock in their immediate vicinity, but by the
concussions from blasting in sound rock at a considerable distance
from the dangerous strata. In one instance, at the Astoria end, a
50-ft. length of drift was temporarily lost by this latter condition.
The caution and care with which the rock was thoroughly sounded
and scaled immediately following blasting is shown by the fact that
no serious injuries or fatalities occurred, which is regarded as unusual,
in view of the extremely unsound condition of the rock.
Grouting.--During the early stages of adverse tunneling, the grout-
ing of the water-bearing fissures was performed with ordinary grout
machines, using a neat Portland cement mortar at a pressure varying
from 100 to 200 lb. per sq. in. This made it necessary, in September,
1911, to put in a steam-driven, straight-line booster at each plant.
Grouting continued with this pressure for some months, but it became
apparent as the work proceeded that an air pressure of even 200 lb.
was insufficient to insure success.
For successful grouting into narrow seams it is essential to obtain
a high initial velocity of grout flow, in order to overcome the frictional
resistance; consequently,
to grout against a water head of approxi-
mately 100 lb. per sq. in., more than 100 lb. additional pressure was
found to be necessary. The increase of the starting pressure insured
the initial flow, and the expansion of the air, even down to 200 lb. or
less, was adequate to maintain the continuity of the flow. The use
of the high pressure also insured that the seam would be packed
more tightly and that the grout would be more dense when it had taken
its ultimate set and attained strength.
Consequently, an additional steam-driven straight-line booster was
erected at the Astoria end in November, 1912, this machine being
capable of developing an air pressure of 500 lb. per sq. in., for which
special grout machines were constructed. The injection of cement into
the water-bearing fissures at this pressure (500 lb.) was exceptionally
effective, and was undoubtedly a valuable factor in the ultimate suc-
cess in driving through the unsound water-bearing rock.
The disintegrated rock structure (Fig. 14) frequently necessitated
the construction of concrete wall buttresses, in order to withstand the
high grouting pressures used, and considerable difficulty was expe-
rienced during the early stages of the work in preventing the injected
cement from washing out of the water-bearing crevices. Unsuccessful
efforts were made to prevent this by mixing oats and bran-with the
cement mortar, as used in other subaqueous tunnels.
Another method introduced, which proved of great benefit and
aided in securing the injected cement, consisted of the addition of a
handful of fine-cut cotton waste to each batch of grout, which by
fibrous reinforcement of the cement held it in place while it was
setting. During lengthy grouting periods, two machines were used
alternately in series, thereby maintaining a continuous injected flow.
The special machines for grouting with 500 lb. air pressure were
designed and assembled at the tunnel works. The general arrange-
ment and capacity were identical with the riveted pans for 200 lb.
pressure, with the exception of some details designed to resist the
higher pressure. The entire pan and the cover were made of cast
steel, carefully annealed and tested, and having no joints other than
that of the cover. The heads were made in convex form; one end was
cast in one piece with the body, and the other was a cast-steel removable
cover with male and female bolted flanged joints. In operation these
pans were very reliable, and, when required, one pan was operated
25 hours without a stop, and discharged 4 500 bags of cement at pres-
sures varying from 350 to 500 lb. Extra heavy 2-in. screwed pipe was
used for the transmission of the high-pressure air from the engine-
room to the heading, with the exception of the first 600 ft., where
extra heavy J-in. pipe was used to give greater storage capacity. Spe-
cial l-in. hose was used to make the connection between the air line
FIG. 15. --R?YLBER BRACING BETWEEN BULKHEADS.
and the grout pan. This was a 6-ply rubber and canvas hose, with
a marline woven cover, wound with 3/16-in., half-round, steel wire, 4/10-in.
pitch. Knox standard couplings were fitted to each end. A special
2-in. grout hose was used, this also being of 6-ply rubber and canvas,
wound with 3/16-in., half-round wire, 1/2-in. pitch.
Bulkheads.-Prior to entering the belt of disintegration at each
end, adequate precaution was taken to guard against flooding, by the
construction of full tunnel section emergency bulkheads, well back
from the point of attack. As the headings proceeded, additional
emergency bulkheads were built as close to the heading as the work
permitted. These were to the heading size only, as the bench was
not removed through this soft-ground section until after the meeting
of the headings.
The first emergency bulkhead of full tunnel section, built at the
Bronx end, was of a concrete buttress type, fitted with two guillotine
doors and not reinforced. A guillotine type of door was considered
in the first design to be the most certain in action. The clear openings
of these doors were about 5 ft. square, of such size as to permit a
tunnel car to pass through. These doors were never actually closed
or used, but in constructing later doors it was considered preferable
to adopt a simpler form of top-hinged flap, so that, in case of necessity,
by cutting away the wire rope supports, they would drop readily into
position, this type being not only cheaper to build but simpler in
operation, and throughout the remainder of the work such doors were
used. Some of the full tunnel section bulkheads, as well as the
. P 1 1 * .l 1 .
emergency bulkheads, were reinforced and some were not, the design
being modified for each individual case. These doors were used only
occasionally, and, as hereinafter stated, gave excellent results in oper-
ation. Owing to the necessity for knowing that these doors were
always in working order, and for trying them out from time to time,
they were equipped on the outer side with tripping devices and rams
operated by compressed air from the tunnel line for raising them when
they were desired to be opened. Valve arrangements were provided
so that the door could be operated from inside or outside; thus, in the
event of any one being accidentally left on the wrong side, it was
possible for him to open the door and release himself.
Numerous solid heading and wall buttresses were constructed from
time to time, for the reasons previously stated. This concreting, of
course, necessitated frequent. and unusual delays, the accumulated lost

time incurred by this work accounting for at least 50% of the time
required to tunnel the 354 ft. of unsound rock, as generally from
10 to 14 days were allowed for the concrete to set sufficiently for 500 lb.
grouting pressure. .
During the bench removal, after holing through the headings,
full section tunnel emergency bulkheads were necessary, these being
generally about 14 ft. thick. As the bench excavation proceeded, these
bulkheads were kept fairly close to the point of work, in order to
facilitate transportation. The continual construction of heavy timber
runways was necessitated by the fact that it was desirable to place the
emergency bulkhead doors well above the invert, in order to prevent
them from becoming clogged by the sandy sediment in the inflowing
water. Drainage through the bulkheads was provided by 6 and 8-in.
pipes, passing below the doorways, but at a sufficient height from the
bottom to prevent them from being clogged by the sand. These drains
were equipped on the shaft side with standard gate-valves to permit of
their being closed.
Bench Excavation. -After the meeting of the headings, on July 17th,
1913, efforts were concentrated on the removal of the remaining bench,
which, at that time, amounted to 474 lin. ft. This length of excava-
tion was attacked simultaneously from the Astoria and Bronx sides.
In the first 237 ft. on the Astoria side only good sound dolomite was
encountered, no trouble was experienced, and the immediate lining
of this excavation was not necessary. On the Bronx side the lower
west portion of the bench face consisted of hard sound gneiss with
intrusions of clay at its contact with the dolomite on the east. The
dolomite was both porous and disintegrated, but no serious difficulties
were encountered, although it was essential to place the concrete lining
immediately after each short advance of excavation.
In this bench excavation the advance was thoroughly explored with
long test holes ranging well outside the necessary excavation lines,
and the material was displaced by light blasting. This arrangement
was due, not only to the character of the rock, but on account of the
existence of the overlying concrete arch.
The work proceeded in this manner until exploratory test holes
disclosed the presence of excessive water at the Astoria side of the
remaining bench. This water was located by four test holes, 3 ft.
apart, along the west side of the bench top. The nearest hole was
24 ft. from the bench face, and the total flow at high pressure was
about 1 500 gal. per min. These holes were piped for grouting, and
encased in an inclined concrete buttress, 20 ft. long and extending
from the arch haunch to the rock bench.
The water was allowed to flow freely through these holes for one
week, while the concrete buttress was attaining strength. The valves
of the drains through the inclined buttress were then closed in prepa-
ration for grouting, and water broke through the top of the bench at
the toe of the buttress. It was then decided to place a full-section
emergency bulkhead at each end of this remaining 122-ft. section of
bench, so that any water that might overcome working operations could
be confined between the bulkheads.
On the completion of these emergency bulkheads, on September
16th, the work of preparing to consolidate the rock previous to excava-
tion was resumed. The inclined buttress was removed and a much
heavier and more massive one was constructed. This extended along
34 ft. of the bench top from the recently constructed emergency bulk-
head on the Astoria side, was about 6 ft. high and 12 ft. thick, and
was completed on September 25th.
At the same time, the western side of the bench top, at the Bronx
side, was covered with a 23-ft. length of inclined buttress against the
concrete arch and extending from the recently constructed Bronx
emergency bulkhead to a heading emergency bulkhead on top of the
bench placed during the driving of the Astoria heading. A similar
inclined buttress, 13 ft. long, was placed against the west side of the
arch. Thus, the entire 122 ft. of exposed bench was covered on the
west side by a series of concrete bulkheads and buttresses.
After allowing these structures to set until October 1st, grouting
through them into the rock fissures began, and 139 bags of cement were
successfully injected into the last two mentioned buttresses. The
grouting of the massive 34-ft. buttress was not successful, as the
reactive pressure developed by the closing of the drain valves fractured
this concrete structure very badly and rendered it useless for the pur-
pose for which it was intended.
It was then decided to remove this fractured buttress entirely and
replace it with one in the form of an inverted arch, and of more mas-
sive proportions, the inverted arch to react against the permanent roof
arch already in place. In the removal of this buttress blasting was
done with extremely light charges, and every care was taken not to
disturb the underlying rock bench. The removal of this buttress was
completed about 8 A. M., on Sunday, October 5th, 1913.
7.-FLOODING OF TUNNEL,.
Shortly after 8 A. M. a large flow of water, carrying greensand,

burst forth under high pressure from the top of the rock bench about
15 ft. from the Astoria emergency bulkhead. After flowing 30 min.
the flow abruptly ceased, only to burst forth again a few minutes later
with renewed vigor, yielding a volume of approximately 10 000 gal. per
min., which eventually overcame the capacity of the pumps at the
Astoria end. The bulkhead doors were promptly closed. On the
Bronx side the force of the water was broken by the intervening head-
ing bulkhead still in place, and the workmen were able to close the
drains; but, on the Astoria side, owing to the rush of water and sand,
they were able to close only two of the three drain valves in the bulk-
head. It was found later that a small piece of l-in. board, floating in
the water, had become wedged between the door and the door frame
of the bulkhead on the Astoria side. Through the small opening thus
caused, and through the drain pipe which the men had been unable to
close, the water poured into the tunnel, carrying with it a large volume
of dolomitic sand and debris. The water in the Astoria Shaft rose
steadily until, at 3.15 P. M., it had completely submerged the pumps,
which soon thereafter ceased working, and the water reached tidal
elevation at 8.15 P. M., on Monday, October 6th. At this time the
pumping p lant at the Astoria Shaft consisted of 12 pumps with a
rated capacity of 7 500 gal. per min., but, on account of the sandy
water continually handled, it had previously been found that the actual
discharges were about 70% of the rated capacity; thus the actual
capacity probably did not exceed 5 500 gal. per min.
Immediately followin, g the flooding of the Astoria end, the Bronx
emergency bulkhead was strengthened as a further measure of safety
by a reinforced central buttress. On the completion of this buttress,
an additional emergency bulkhead was built about 105 ft. nearer the
Bronx Shaft. The actual need of this bulkhead never arose, as the
first one withstood the full hydrostatic pressure, but it was desired to
take every possible precaution against the flooding of the remaining
protected tunnel, as the unwatering
L of an entirely flooded tunnel would
have been a much more difficult and costly proposition.
It was also considered advisable to increase immediately the Bronx
pumping plant, which at this time consisted of five pumps with a
rated capacity of 2 250 gal. per min., of which only 1200 gal. capacity
was available for shaft discharge to the surface, the remainder handling
the drainage from the bench face to the shaft, as the grade at the
Bronx end was away from the shaft. Four additional pumps, each
having a capacity of 600 gal. per min., were put in, by which the
capacity of the tunnel drainage to the shaft was increased to 1 650 gal.
per min. ; and the surface discharge capacity was raised to 3 000 gal.
per min. This plant was fully capable of handling all the subsequent
water from the Bronx end.
Observations of the rise of water in the Astoria shaft were care-

fully made, and also the tidal readings during the continuance of the
shaft inundation. It was observed that the water rose and fell with
the tide, but that the entire tidal rise was not obtained, the rise in the
shaft being only about one-half that in the river. From the continu-
ance of these conditions, and also from the flow obtained through
small pipes in the Bronx bulkhead, it was apparent that the water flow
had not choked itself as had been hoped. After due consideration of
various methods of attack, it was decided to grout from the Bronx end
into the water-filled chamber between the Astoria and Bronx bulkheads,
with the object of filling this with cement to the extent of permitting
the unwatering of the tunnel from the Astoria end. At the same time
diamond-drill borings were to be driven from the Bronx bulkhead, the
purpose of which was to intercept the fissure at a point beyond its
opening into the tunnel, carefully calculated and directed to the de-
sired point, and through this to inject cement, in an effort to seal the
source of flow beyond the tunnel. The first hole drilled was intended
to tap the fissure at a point 5 ft. below and 5 ft. beyond the point of
flow into the tunnel, this location being determined by a close study
of the geological formation previously encountered. This hole meas-
ured 120 ft. from the bulkhead face to the point. The accuracy of both
the location and pointing of this hole was conclusively proved, not
only by the injection of 870 bags of cement, but by the conditions
disclosed when driving through this section in February, 1914. The

grout in this instance was evidently well directed into the fissure, but
naturally followed the line of least resistance, going no farther than
the debris in the fissure would permit.
The second step in the programme of attack was to fill completely
the space between the completed arch and the rock bench between the
bulkheads, and began by drilling through the Bronx bulkhead and the
small disused heading bulkhead with a diamond drill, using a packing
tube fitted with an exterior valve inserted in the bulkhead, through
which the diamond drill rods were threaded and operated. These drill
rods were pushed into the chamber as near as possible to the fissure
location. Grouting through this diamond-drill tube began at 3 P. M.,
on November 10th, and continued without interruption until 4 P. M.,
on November 12th, during which time 8 580 bags of cement were
injected at a pressure of 400 lb. per sq. in. The drill head, fitted with
its diamonds, was recovered later from the mass of cement grout
during the subsequent excavation. The grouting was discontinued
on the appearance of cement in the seepage around the Bronx bulk-
head door.
From the action of the water in the Astoria Shaft, it was quite
evident that this grouting had been effective in sealing, to a large
degree, the direct passage and subsequent leak between the tunnel and
the river, but had not entirely sealed the leak through the Astoria bulk-
head, as the draining of water through numerous small pipes in the
Bronx bulkhead lowered the water in the Astoria Shaft some 17 ft.
This water receding in the Astoria Shaft,, and its subsequent loss of
pressure head, resulted in an unequal condition of pressures on the
freshly injected grout in the fissure, so that, when an absolute pres-
sure of 11 lb. existed on the fresh grout, from the drop in the Astoria
shaft water, the grout gave way, causing the water from the fissure
to flow again into the tunnel, and the shaft water to rise.
Meanwhile, the long tubing was kept free, both inside and outside,
and was withdrawn for this purpose to within 7 ft. of the inner bulk-
head wall. It was again pushed forward in the early morning of
November 14th, and 775 bags of cement were injected. Later the
same morning, 622 bags were injected, followed in the afternoon by
986 bags. On the followin, g morning 316 bags were injected, when
the pressure gauge on a pipe extending through the bulkhead began to
jump in excess of the hydrostatic pressure, and, as grout began to

appear through the bulkhead pipes, the operations were discontinued.
Again, however, on November l7th, an additional 164 bags were in-
jected throughthis tube, making a total of 11 342 bags of cement.
Meanwhile, the diamond drill borings had been continued, and,
although water and greensand were encountered, only a small quantity
of cement could be injected. It was evident, later, on removing this
piece of bench, that the fissure in question was pierced only by the
first drill hole. By opening the various pipes in the Bronx bulkhead,
in order to test the hydrostatic pressure and to ascertain the effect of
the grouting, it was found that they gave water, but without pressure,
and, therefore, it was considered quite safe to commence immediately
the unwatering of the tunnel from the Astoria end.
The consideration of the various possible alternative methods for
unwatering the tunnel contemplated in every case the ability to hold
the Bronx tunnel intact up to the emergency bulkhead, and the
method adopted and subsequently carried out was based on that under-
standing. However, it was also considered as a possibility that this
method might not prove successful in stopping the open leak from the
river so as to enable a battery of pumps, which could be practically
erected, to control the flow. As the heading had been entirely carried
through and the test borings had defined quite clearly the position of
the seams, it was thought that, if the plan of drilling with diamond
drills, as previously described, and grouting through the diamond
drill holes, did not prove successful, another alternative would still
remain, by which a steel trestle could be erected over the tunnel on the
bed of the river and from the deck of such a trestle, above high-tide
level, numerous drill holes could be accurately placed and extended
vertically to intercept the line of the seam, and through such drill
holes grouting could be executed at any pressure desired, which would
be amply adequate to fill the seam and plug it effectively. Fortunately,
this last expedient was not found necessary.
Unwatering. -Existing in the Astoria shaft prior to the flooding
were an 18-in. ventilating pipe (extending from the surface, down the
shaft, and into the tunnel a distance of 970 ft.), and three 8-in. dis-
charge lines (extending from the pumps at the foot of the shaft to
the surf ace). These four pipes were converted into a pneumatic water-
lift system by placing a 3-in. air pipe inside the 18-in. ventilating pipe,
extending the former to a depth of 251 ft.. below the ground surface, or
a depth of 240 ft. below mean sea level, and by placing a 2-in. air pipe
inside each of the 8-in. lines to the same depth. The discharge ends
of these air lines, for some 24 in . in length, were perforated with
small holes drilled at an angle of 45o, so that the air discharge would
point upward. These air lifts ~111discharged at the shaft surfsce.
This emergency equipment was the only means used to lower the water
176 ft. from the top of the shaft, and down to that depth, proved both
rapid and effective.
During the operations at the Bronx end, an emergency plant had
been secured and prepared for operation at the Astoria Shaft. This
consisted of six Cameron reciprocating pumps (one of 1 000, one of
800, and four of 600 gal. per min., a combined rated capacity of 4 200)
gal. per min.). On a steel pontoon, designed and constructed specially
for the purpose, and floating in the shaft, were placed the two emer-
gency pumps (of 1 000 and 800 gal. per min.) with the discharge con-
nected to an S-in. discharge line in the shaft. Three 600-gal. pumps
were placed in the elevator wells after the water had been lowered 172
ft. below mean sea level. These pumps were lowered from time to time
as the water dropped, and, when it had been lowered to a level of 13 1/2 ft.
above the tunnel invert at the shaft, the submerged permanent pumps
were brought into play.
The 18-in. and two of the 8-in. air lifts were operated continuously
from 8 A. M. to 9 P. M., on November 24th, when the water had been
lowered a depth of 160 ft., displacin g 1 147 025 gal. of water in 797
min., or an average discharge of 1 439 gal. per min. The two pumps
on the pontoon were then started and worked continuously until 6 A. M,,
on November 25th, with a net gain of 15 ft. The three pumps in the
cage wells were then operated, it being necessary to change the pipe-
line connections quite frequently. On November 30th, at 10.40 A. M.,
the water had been lowered to a level 13 1/2ft. above the tunnel invert at
the shaft portal. During the progress of this stage of the pumping,
in order to avoid a column of water forming at the Astoria bulkhead
and a consequent probable regurgitation of the water in the shaft, air
under pressure was forced into the tunnel through a 2-in. pipe, which
was in place and extended from the surface about 3 200 ft. into the
tunnel. At 10.40 A. M., on November 30th, the original shaft pumps
were started, and, as this gave in all a battery of eleven pumps, the
water was quickly drained from the tunnel. During the period occu-
pied in pumping at the Astoria end, a 2-in. and a 5-in. pipe in the
Bronx bulkhead were kept flowing, and materially aided in the un-
watering. Table 6 is a summary of the water pumped and the time
occupied.
AIR LIFTS-ASTORIA END:

Time worked.. . . . . . . . . . . . . ..**.*..........................*... . . . . . ..-. 13 hours 17 nnn.
Volume of shaft unwatered.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 147 028 gal.
Average per minute.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 439 gal.
PUmPS-ASTORIA ESD:
Time worked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*.................... ..... 162 hours 53 min.
Volume of shaft and tunnel unwatered.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 415 353 gal.
Leakage into tunnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... 15 608 873 gal.
Total water pumped.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : : . . . . . . . . . . 24 024 231gal.
Average per minute, . . . . . .*................,......,..,.,............. 2 458 gal
AVERAGE LEAKAGE INTO TUNNEL THROUGH THE FISSURE DURING IHE PERIOD OF
UNWATERIXG:
Flow through pipes, Bronx bulkhead.. ...... ...... .......... ........ 938 gal. per min.
Leakage through Astoria bulkhead.. . . . . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 997 ‘= c’ .’
Average leakage through fissure.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 935 Lb ‘- “
Period of unwatering approximately 25 000 000 gal.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1/3days.
___----
-----
-- - -..----.--. . _. _________ ____- -__- ____ -___ _-________
._- ----._--_--_---___________p
_-~_ __--p-e- ---
On Sunday evening, November 30th, with the water 4 1/2ft. below

the crown of the arch at the portal, two boats containing the tunnel
engineers entered the tunnel and continued on a tour of inspection
to the Astoria bulkhead. It was found that comparatively little dam-
age had been done by the flooding, although a considerable quantity
of grout and sand had entered the tunnel through the door which, in
the inception of the flood, was not securely closed, and through the
8-in drain which the men had been unable to close, as previously men-
tioned. Sand deposits occurred at frequent intervals throughout the
first 2 300 ft., and beyond this a layer of sand, mud, coal, shells, etc.,
covered the tunnel invert, accumulating in quantity toward the bulk-
head. At a distance of 3 000 ft. from the shaft, the grout, with a small
proportion of sand, formed a bank 12 in. deep, gradually sloping up to
the bulkhead, a length of about 500 ft., where it was 12 ft. thick, or
nearly to the top of the bulkhead doorway. The surface of this grout
bank was in a plastic condition, some 6 in. deep, the underlying mate-
rial being firm and semi-hard, the hardness increasing toward the bulk-
head. This material was not well set-up grout by any means, the
subsequent removal being performed with pick and shovel. From the
8-in. drain clear water, at the rate of 900 gal. per min., was flowing,
and from a 3-in. cable conduit pipe in the bulkhead there was a stream
of 100 gal. per min. -neither being under pressure. The air through-
out the tunnel was exceptionally good.
The construction of an emergency bulkhead about 60 ft. from the
closed bulkhead was immediately commenced, before making any at-
tempt to remove the aforesaid grout bank, as the appearance and con-
dition of the grout bank material were such as to cause very grave
doubt that the leak would remain confined. A small trench was ex-
cavated in the grout bank around the bulkhead drains; the two closed
ones were blind-flanged and the open one was allowed to flow, in order
to prevent the development of any additional pressure on the bulkhead.
Simultaneously with the construction of the emergency bulkhead,
the cleaning and righting of the tunnel proceeded. Meanwhile, the
emergency pumps were erected at the shaft bottom and the original
pumps were overhauled. When this work was completed the Astoria
plant consisted of fifteen pumps, with a combined rated capacity of
9 600 gal. per min., which was considered quite sufficient to handle any
likely flow, in view of the existence of an additional bulkhead removed
from the point of danger.
The method of procedure adopted for completely sealing the water
flow of October 5th consisted in driving a series of long test holes, in
an effort to pierce the fissure well outside of the tunnel lines, through
which the effective seal and solidification of the rock mass would be
obtained by injecting grout. The short holes were drilled with per-
cussion drills and the long ones with diamond drill equipment through
the tunnel side-walls close to the bulkhead, as it was desired not to
disturb the latter in any way. The direction of these holes was based
on the assumption that the water-bearing fissure would be encountered
in a plane produced along the line of the general strike of the rock
and passing through the ends of the holes by which the presence of the
fissure was first determined prior to the flood. The first hole drilled
with a percussion drill to the computed depth, encountered water’ at full
pressure at a depth of 22 ft. ; the success of this hole was very encour-
aging, as it had been computed that water would be encountered at
21 1/2ft.
The observation of results attained in grouting was accomplished
by the attachment of pressure gauges on both the Astoria and Bronx
bulkheads and by allowing the pipes in the Bronx end to remain flow-
ing. Grouting began at 1 P. M. on December 18th, and was followed
immediately by the appearance of grout in the flowing Bronx pipes,

thus indicating that the point of injection communicated to the water
hole of October 5th, and that the latter was still unsealed. At 9 P. M.
on December 19th, after the injection of 3 360 bags of cement, the hole
finally refused.
It was quite apparent that the recent grouting had been effective,
but, during the time interval necessary to allow this to set thoroughly,
it was decided to make a thorough investigation of the underlying
rock before attemptin g to open up the grout-filled chamber between the
bulkheads. This investigation proceeded during the remainder of
December, and consisted of drilling ten long diamond drill holes, the
result being that, though the rock structure outside the tunnel lines
was found to be extremely disintegrated, no water was encountered-a
favorable indication of the success of the recent grouting.
On January 5th, 1914, the work of removing the grout fill between
the bulkheads commenced. A small drift. was driven through the
Astoria bulkhead, after which the door was raised and immediately
placed in working order. The removal of the grout fill was then re-
sumed, this work proceeding with very light blasting, toward the Bronx
bulkhead door, which was raised on January 15th, 1914, and prepara-
tions were made for resuming the bench excavation-after a delay of
102 days, caused by the flooding of the tunnel.
In removing the grout fill, it was found to be in an unusual condi-
tion and stratification. Certain layers were extremely hard, and others
were equally soft; some sections were highly stratified-others quite
massive; some layers and masses of what might be described as solidi-
fied “laitance” were found, which never attained a greater hardness
than that of the softest chalk, and having a curious chemical composi-
tion, entirely different from that of the original Portland cement from
which it had been produced. Layers of sand also extended through
the mass, and, in the vicinity of the water-hole, a 4-ft. blanket of coal,
sand, shells, bits of wood, etc., was disclosed. No indications of water
were apparent, other than the usual normal seepage through the con-
crete lining.
Several interesting conditions were encountered during the recovery
of the flooded tunnel. Although large quantities of sand, coal, bits of
wood, etc., were found, having been washed into the tunnel, and thus
establishing proof of a direct connection with the river bed, no signs
of any fish were observed, though during previous heading flows many
live fish, up to S in. in length, were washed in.
Of unusual interest is the fact that, though the sum total of
cement, injected from both ends, from the time of the flood to the com-
pletion of the grouting, was only 595 cu. yd., about 1150 cu. yd. of solid
grout were removed, in addition to 400 cu. yd. of sand, shells, coal, etc.,
to say nothin- g of the quantity of cement grout which remained in and
filled the fissures themselves. A possible explanation of this is that
in some manner the injected cement had mixed freely with very fine-
grained decomposed dolomite, probably in sediment in the water, and
that cement in the form of grout does not act as normal Portland
cement in maintaining constant volume.
A peculiar disclosure was made on uncovering the end of the long
grouting tube inserted from the Bronx end. The end of this tube was
solidly embedded in a 12-in. cube of extremely hard grout, entirely
surrounded by a 4-ft. layer of sand, coal, shells, etc., thus isolated from
the bulk of the grout in the chamber between the bulkheads. Appar-
ently, with each injection, the cement scoured away and was forced
through this sand layer, which then resumed its normal form after
each discharge.
In view of the recent flooding, it was resolved to exercise even
greater precautions than heretofore. After careful consideration, a
method of attack was devised which ultimately proved quite successful.
This consisted of: (a) the construction of an inverted concrete arch
over the remaining length of bench between bulkheads; (b) an even
more thorough exploration of the underlying rocks with test holes as
long as could be drilled by percussion drills; (c) the injection of
cement through these holes in an effort to solidify the rock mass-the
inverted arch acting as a resistance to this grouting; (d) the careful
excavation of the exposed rock by very light blasting of small sections
only; and (e) the immediate concreting of the tunnel lining on com- .
pleting a short length of full section excavation.
The inverted arch was 24 in. thick and 8 1/2 ft. below the concrete
tunnel arch on the center line. As this working space did not permit
of drilling to the tunnel invert extrados, the exploration was accom-
plished by first testing to a depth of from 5 to 6 ft. below the inverted
arch. Drilling pits were then excavated and concrete-lined as an in-
verted arch, well bonded into the tunnel arch and the inverted arch
slab. Test drilling was then continued from these pits, thus reaching
well outside of the necessary lines of excavation.
In removing this 122 ft. of bench, the entire rock encountered was
extremely wet, and, although two flows of fair volume occurred, no
unusual difficulties were experienced. This was undoubtedly due to
the numerous injections of grout, which had been quite effective in
consolidating the disintegrated rock structure. On uncovering the
water-hole of October 5th, it was found to be a greensand seam, 24
in. wide, and of unknown depth, filled with sand, coal, shells, etc.,
through which a 9-in. layer of hard grout extended. No water was
flowing, nor was there any further trouble from this fissure.
9.-STEEL LINING.
Following the completion of the bench excavation, the erection of
the cast-steel ring lining began. The installation of this lining was
to secure impermeability through some 400 ft. of wet rock section
extending on each side of the existing 50-ft. length of cast-iron rings.
Being an after consideration, it was of necessity devised for its
adaptability to the existing conditions. In contrast to the 50-ft. sec-
tion of iron lined tunnel, the rock structure of the zone finally lined
with steel rings was of such poor quality, and so treacherous and
shattered, that it would have been extremely hazardous to increase
the area of excavation necessary for the insertion of circular rings.
Therefore, it was desired to maintain as small an excavated section
as possible, and this resulted in the adoption of a metal lining of
special design.
The usual assumption in designing a metal lining for subaqueous
tunnel construction is that it is surrounded by a more or less plastic
medium, and that no inward collapse can occur at any point without
an outward distortion taking place at other points on the periphery;
usually, the most suitable section to meet these conditions is a circular
one. In this case, however, the tunnel being deeply embedded in
rock and of a horse-shoe section, there were certain assumptions which
could not be made in the case of a tunnel surrounded by soft material
without cohesion. That is to say, the assumption on which the tunnel
lining was designed was that, on the completion of the work, the
spaces between the metal lining and the rock would be solidly filled
with concrete or cement grout, which, when placed, would support
the entire metal lining and prevent any possibility of an outward
distortion of the lining, the latter being designed with sufficient
strength to prevent any inward collapse.
However, partly on account of the hydrostatic pressure, and partly
on account of the departure from a true circular form, such stresses
were produced in the metal that, without. an extraordinarily waste-
ful design, cast iron could not be considered as a feasible material
for withstanding the resultant pressures, and it appeared, therefore,
to be necessary to substitute cast steel.
The cast-steel segments used for this purpose were made by the
Wheeling Mold and Foundry Company, in accordance with the specifi-
cations of the American Society for Testing Materials. The seg-
ments were machined on all flanges to exact templates, so that all
segments of the same letter were interchangeable. The facing of
all joints of the steel segmental plates was laid out from the tem-
Pla tes, which, at the same time, defined exactly the position of
coupling bolt holes, which holes were drilled in the plate castings.
Although the specifications permitted the use of cored bolt-holes, no
such coring was used on account of the impossibility of obtaining
the accurate fitting of segments with the irregularities which would
have thereby been caused, the specifications requiring that this abso-
lute accuracy of segment form in its relation to the bolt centers
should be maintained.
This cast-steel lining, Fig. 16, was of segmental form, shaped
to the neat lines of the tunnel, with the extrados 7 in. beyond these
lines. As the flange depth of the rings was 6 in., and it was not
desired to increase this depth at the expense of cutting away more
of the exterior concrete lining, there was an allowance of only I in.
of concrete over the ring flanges in covering the lower segments up
to the springing line of the arch, being simply a protection against
possible corrosion and to produce a continuously fair and smooth
surface for the interior of the tunnel.
Each ring consisted of eleven segments, including the key; all
joints were accurately machined. The key was placed at. the top,
and the joints were not staggered, as is the custom with circular
iron tunnel rings. The rings were 24 1/8in. wide, this odd width being
designed on the assumption that a slight excess in the gauge length
of each rin g would be probable, and that in erection a growth or
-2
C
--
d
4
+I
.-
m
7
4
creep of 1/4in. to every six rings would occur. Actually, the machining
was executed with almost perfect accuracy, and in erection no creep
resulted throughout the entire length of 400 ft. Each segment, ex-
cepting the key, was provided with a tapped hole for grouting behind *
the rings, and each ring was equipped with brackets cast on the
side plates, to carry a transverse 10-in., 40-lb., beam for the support
of the permanent. tunnel runway, and also to act as an additional
strut to react against any possible horizontal distortion of the rings.
In consideration of the possible danger of causing serious water
flows by the removal of the concrete lining necessary for the erection
of the steel lining, it was decided to perform this trimming without
the use of blasting but by takin g off the necessary 9 in. by bull-
pointing with small air-driven jack-hammers. For this same reason,
a special method of procedure in erecting the steel was adopted. This
consisted in erecting the 200 rings in four sections, by which arrange-
ment, and the construction of two emergency bulkheads, the point of
work was always protected, so that any unusual flows could readily
be confined to a comparatively small length of tunnel.
Previous to the erection of the internal steel lining, the rock
tunnel had been secured by a concrete lining, at no point less than
IS in. in thickness, which concrete was adequate, as long as it re-
mained in perfect condition, to take all the hydrostatic pressure
strains. At the same time, the concrete was not impervious, and
as water would pass through it into contact with the steel lining,
it would obviously transmit hydrostatic pressure to that lining.
Simultaneously with the excavation of the rock bench, the exterior
concrete lining was put in, but, as the arch concrete had previously
been placed to the finished tunnel lines during the driving of the
headings, it was necessary to chip the entire inside surface to pro-
vide space in which to erect the steel lining to the true lines called
for. Consequently, there was a very small space remaining between
the intrados of the concrete lining and the extrados of the steel
lining. It was of vital importance, on account of the accurate
machining to templates, that the rings should be erected absolutely
true to the axis, and the only way in which this could be done
without any question of doubt was by erecting with absolute accuracy
a long stretch of the bottom plates, bolted up and laid out instru-
mentally to perfect alignment and grade. In order to do this,
-a
the bottom plates throughout were laid on a cradle consisting of

three longitudinal strips of bar steel, 4 in. wide and 1/2 in. thick. These
cradle bars were wedged up to proper alignment and grade, and
secured by spiking with countersunk expansion bolts to the exterior
concrete lining already in place. On this cradle were erected the
two bottom segmental plates. The first short length of complete sec-
tion lining, about 100 ft., was erected continuously on the bottom
plates already set on the cradle, and each plate as erected was
wedged with oak wedges to the exterior concrete lining already in
place. The ends of this section were carefully secured by cementing,
grouting, and packing, in order to maintain them rigidly and to
plug the narrow spaces at each end, the theory then being to pro-
ceed with the grouting by leavin g all grout holes open and pouring
grout into each one in succession, and, as each hole indicated free
flow of grout, to close each plug in its turn. It was thought that the
plate lining, being held securely by hardwood wedges at each plate
and the setting of the cement as grouting proceeded, would enable
this section of steel to retain its form. Experience, however, showed
that the hardwood wedges were inadequate to resist deformation in
consequence of the pressures due to the flotation, and quite a serious
distortion occurred in this section during the grouting operation,
necessitating the entire removal of the section and its re-erection on
the plan adopted later, as follows:
The rings were erected on the iron strip cradle previously de-
scribed, on which the bottom plates for several ring lengths were first
placed, followed by the same length of smaller radius side-wall plates.
The remainder of each ring was then erected separately, this work
being done by an erector. This method was adopted to prevent any
divergence from alignment, as no special rings were provided to
correct alignment deviation. The space behind each segmental joint
was securely blocked with iron wedging to prevent distortion during
the subsequent grouting operations. The method of grouting behind
the rings consisted of forming a circumferential bulkhead of cement
mortar behind two complete rings consisting of one whole and two
half rings, spaced at a distance of five rings apart, and a longitudinal
bulkhead behind the smaller radius side-wall plates, thus permitting
grouting behind the rings in stages. This was essential to prevent
distortion due to the weight of cement and the flotation of the
tunnel. To insure further against the possibility of distortion, the

five-ring section between bulkheads was internally braced with heavy
timbering (Fig. 15). Only one set of timbers was used, grouting
operations being carried along in the rear of the erection at the same
rate of progress’ in each. By this arrangement the five-ring sections
were completely grouted before the removal of the timbering, the
grouting being performed in three operations : first, the lower half
above the longitudinal bulkhead ; second, the upper half (thus keying
in the top portion) ; and, third, the bottom plates. The first operation
was with an air pressure of 30 lb.; the second and third were with
135 lb.
The rings were grommetted and caulked on the completion of
the grouting. In grommetting, which was carried on immediately
in advance of the caulking, each bolt was wrapped with strands of
hemp, not coated with any water-proofing substance, as is usually
the practice, as it was determined by experiment that the results
derived from pitch-dipped hemp were not better than with the un-
coated strands. In caulking the ring joints, small air-driven caulking
hammers were used, the procedure consisting simply of turning over
the metal edges of the joint, in every respect as though caulking a
boiler. In unusually wet places lead wire was used to stop the flow
temporarily until the edges were turned. This 400 ft. of steel lined
tunnel is now practically water-tight, although occasional drops are
caused by the natural sweating of the metal. This in time will
probably gradually dry up and disappear entirely, due to the corrosion
of the metal and the silting in of fine particles of matter.
The completion of the tunnel with the entire lining left a seepage
of water to be taken care of by the permanent drainage and the
pumpage of 280 gal. per min., this seepage coming in from the
entire length of the tunnel and the two shafts, including the enlarge-
ment at the foot of the Astoria Shaft. Consequently, this leakage
was yielded by the equivalent of some 5 600 ft. of full-sized tunnel,
or a surface area of approximately 36 000 sq. yd. This inflow for the
most part finds its entry through the jointing of the rock in the
hardest portions of the granitic gneiss, including the Astoria Shaft
and the tunnel extending from that shaft to the dolomite rock con-
tact. The softer dolomite is, for all practical purposes, perfectly dry,
and there is practically no water finding entry through the section
lined with steel plates. The remainder of the inflow originates in
the similar hard gneiss constituting the Bronx Shaft., and the section
of the tunnel between the bulkhead line of the East River and the
westerly contact.
The writer has invariably found that, so far as water flow through
the rocks in the vicinity of New York is concerned, the greatest
leakage is in the hardest rocks, and that wherever the mica schist or
dolomite rocks exist, their softer character closes the joints and fissures
to such an extent as to make these rocks practically water-tight.
Considerable efforts were spent on grouting through the lining
to lessen the leakage from these hard rocks, including the drilling
of long holes through the lining to intercept the minute joints and
fissures, into which was forced cement grout under pressures of from
200 to 300 lb. per sq. in. For a time this would prove effective, but,
within a few days after stopping the inflow, under these conditions,
it would almost invariably be found that water would work its way
through other channels, with the final result that the grouting of the
rocks had little effect on the total quantity of water. There are
indications, however, that in the course of time a great many of these
minute fissures will choke themselves by the washing in of particles
of solid matter to fill the crevices, a condition confirmed by observa-
tion of other tunnels.
11.-VENTILATION.
The proper ventilation of the tunnel during the construction

period was obtained with electrically-driven suction fans-one operated
on the surface at each plant-capable of furnishing 2 500 CU. ft. of
air per min. at a pressure of 5.4 oz. Each fan was at the top of
each shaft, and was connected by a 12-in. inlet to an 18-in. pipe
extended down the shaft and along the tunnel wall to within 200
ft. of the bench, sections being added as the advance proceeded.
The fans were not operated continuously, but only until proper ventila-
tion was secured after each blasting operation. On the Astoria side
a 3O-in. blower, d ri v en by a compressed-air engine, was erected in
the tunnel 1700 ft. from the shaft, as the 12-in. fan was not efficient
beyond this length. This blower was connected to the existing 18-in.
line from the 12-in. fan, the fan being discontinued when the blower
was put in operation. In tunneling through the zone of decomposed
dolomite, the construction of bulkheads close to the point of work in
the headin g naturally interfered with proper fresh air circulation,
and at times the inflowing water carried with it sludge tar which
had probably been discharged many years previously from adjacent
gas-works and had been lyin g on the bed of the river in deep holes.
This material gave off fumes which were unpleasant and caused a burn-
ing sensation in the eyes, but at no time during the work was there
any illness or inconvenience attributable to improper ventilation.
The tunnel was lighted electrically by current supplied at each

plant by two direct-current generators, each of 250 volts, 200 amperes,
and 50 kw. These were operated alternately, except at the Astoria
end, where it was necessary to operate both generators at night after
the tunnel had been driven 1000 ft.
Lamps of 16 c.p. were used while in the heading and bench.
Luminous-arc headlights were carried along with the advance, the
result being very satisfactory, as these lamps gave a bright whitish
light, quite essential through the dark, wet, rock sections, and espe-
cially in driving through some dense, black gneiss encountered.
After entering the decomposed, water-bearing zone, kerosene hand-
lanterns were used throughout the tunnel as a measure of safety,
and were kept lighted at all times in case of emergency.
13.-TRIANGULATION AND ALIGNMENT

The triangulation system of the Astoria Tunnel was first laid out
in 1903-04, and conformed with the intentions at that time of con-
structing the tunnel to 111th Street, Manhattan. Subsequently, this
triangulation system, with the necessary modifications, was adopted
for the alignment of the present Astoria Tunnel.
The triangulation system of the present tunnel consisted of
three scalene triangles constructed on an 1 800-ft. base line on the
Astoria shore, with a 1 300-ft. check base on the Bronx shore, one
angle point being on the extreme northerly end of the “Sunken
Meadows” in the East River. The accuracy of the triangulation work
was proved by the fact that the computed length of the Bronx base
checked to within 0.006 ft. of the measured length, or 1 in 218 000.
The alignment was transferred down the shafts of the tunnel
with suspended plumb lines which were aligned by direct sight acrOSS
the river between shafts, triangulation towers being provided for this
purpose. Some little difficulty was caused by the oscillation of the
wires due to eddyin g air currents and the water seepage down the
shaft sides, these conditions necessitating the use of 35-lb wing
weights. At the Astoria Shaft the base between the suspended wires
was 28 ft. ; in the smaller Bronx Shaft, the base was only 21 ft.
In the extension of the tunnel center line, all fixed points were
placed in the concrete arch- those in the Astoria heading were at
3OO-ft. intervals, but in the Bronx heading a maximum of only 200
ft. could be used, on account of the continual fog. As the headings
approached the water-bearing rock section, it was found necessary
to reduce the sight lengths considerably, especially after the construc-
tion of bulkheads, as the fog then became, in a sense, confined. All
instrument work was performed from suspended transit tables and
scaffolds, thus preventing any delays to, or confusion between, the
engineering and construction forces.
Accurate elevations were determined from a bench-mark on the
northern shore of the Bronx Kills opposite Randalls Island. The
reference of this bench-mark to a mean-sea-level datum plane was
supplied to the tunnel engineers by the United States Coast, and
Geodetic Survey, being based on the result of 6 years of tidal observa-
tions at Sandy Hook, N. J. The location of this bench-mark neces-
sitated a level run of 3 900 ft. to the Bronx Shaft and a run of 14 000
ft. to the Astoria Shaft, the latter route crossing Randalls and Wards
Islands to reach the point of minimum width of the East Channel of
the East River. Thus, the length of the combined transfer of eleva-
tions of 3 1/2miles on the surface to the point of closure in the tunnel
was approximately 4 1/2miles, in view of which the error of only 1/8 in.
is quite remarkable.
In consideration of the unfavorable conditions under which the
underground work was necessarily performed, the meeting of the
alignment and grades of the two headings is regarded as most satis-
factory. As mentioned, when the tunnel entered the water-bearing
rock, there was considerable difficulty in obtaining even fairly distinct
sights, as there was a continual fog caused by the condensation of the
air exhaust from the drills, pumps, and grout pans. The alignment,
660 TIIE ASTORIA TUNNEL
which was carried 3 900 ft. from the Astoria Shaft and 762 ft. from
the Bronx Shaft, met to within 1 1/4in. for line, 1/8 in. for grade, and 1/2 in.
for stationing.
.
14.- QUANTITIES AND COSTS.
Table 7 is a summation of the quantities incidental to the shaft

and tunnel construction.
Earth excavation, for erecting plant ........................... .............. 1 750 cu. yd.
Earth excavation, shafts ................................... ................... 3 050 “
Earth excavation, total ........................................................ 4 800 “
Rock excavation, shafts ....................................................... 17 480 “
Rock excavation, tunnel ............................................... . . ..... 70 140 "
Rock excavation, total ........................................................ 87 620 “
Concrete removal, tunnel. ..................................................... 4 080 "
Grout, bank removal, tunnel ................................................... 1 150 "‘
Summary of excavation-earth, rock, concrete, etc ........................... 97 650
Concrete, plant foundations ................................................... 1 160 "
Concrete, shaft lining .......................................................... 5 070 “
Concrete, tunnel. ............................................ .................. 26 860 . ‘
Concrete, tunnel bulkheads .................................................... 2 070 ".
Concrete, pipe foundations .................................................... 710 "
Summary of concrete placed ................................................... 35 870 “
Lining rings, 20 cast-iron, 50 lin. ft, ............................................. 227 1/2tons*
Lining rings, 200 cast-steel, 406 lin. ft ...... .................................... 1 365 l ’
Lining rings, total, 220 rings, 450 lin. ft. ................................. 1 592 1/2
Cement, concrete plant foundations ....................................... :::: 6 870 bags
Cement,, concrete lining, shafts and tunnel .................................... 199 000
Cement, concrete bulkheads ................................................... 16 160 Ib
Cement, concrete pipe foundations ................. .......................... 4 590 bb
Cement, total in concrete .......... .......................................... 226 620 bc
Cement. grouted in shaft lining ............................................... 1 200 bb
Cement, grouted in tunnel concrete lining ..................... ............... 45 340 Lb
Cement, grouted in metallining ............................................... 14 380 bb

Cement. grouted in bulkheads ............. ................................... 26 510 bb
Cement, grouted in test holes .................................................. 28 550 bb
Cement, grouted in pipe supports ............................................. 2 000 Lb
Cement, total in grout ......................................................... 117 980 6‘

Cement, total in concrete and grout .............. .............................. 344 600 6;
*Tons of 2000 lb.
In this undertaking the cost of construction must be classed in two

accounts: first, the cost of the shafts and tunnel constructed under
normal conditions in the two types of rock formation; and, second,
the extraordinary cost and expense of that portion of tunnel, approxi-
mately 400 lin. ft.., constructed in the decomposed rock formation.
The cost of the permanent pipes and interior equipment is an addi-
tional and entirely distinct item of expense, bearing no direct relation
to the cost of the structure of the tunnel.
It is worthy of note that the unit costs, based on all work of a
normal character, with the sole exception of the great expense of
getting through the decomposed rock, was less than the originally
estimated figures contemplated at the commencement of the work.
THE ASTORIA TUNNEL 65l
The unusual conditions involved in that portion of the tunnel driven

through the decomposed rock formation, and the long delay in con-
quering the difficulties which arose, involved an actual cost for that
section materially greater than had originally been allowed.
Tables 8 and 9, showing the distributed unit costs for the shaft.
and normal tunnel constructions, are of interest and value, and show
advantageous results under the conditions governing the work. The
unit costs given in these tables are the totals for both labor and
material, allowin g 60% of the purchase value of plant and equipment
-the remainder being considered as a credit. for ultimate salvage.
The item “Contingencies” includes all expenses chargeable to accidents,
damages, hospital, rentals, insurance, and operation of the ferry-boat
used between the shafts.
TABLE 8.-UNIT COSTS OF SHAFT CONSTRUCTION-NORMAL
CONDITIONS.
--
COST PER ACTUAL CUBIC YARD.
Rock excavation Concrete Lining.

Items. (Gneiss).
- ~-- .---- --
Astoria Bronx Astoria Bronx
Shaft. Shaft. Shaft. Shaft.
General supervision .......................... $0.114 $0.130 $0.120

Engineering expense. ........................ 0.193 0.221 0.205
Field office administration. .................. 0.808 0.922 0.855
Plant and equipment, installation and main,
tenance .................................... 0.346 0.365 0.396 0.366
Plant and equipment, 60% of purchase value 0.867i 0.915 0.990 0.917
General surface labor and supplies. ........ 0.354 0.373 0.451 0.375
Drilling and blasting ......................... 1.971 1.571 1 .083 1.283
Mucking ..................................... 1.652 1.797 ...... ......
Disposal, surface transportation ............ 0.484 1.592 ...... . .....
Disposal, scow line and towing .............. 0.149 0.101 ...... ......
Power and plant running .................... 1.625 1.343 ...... ......
Making and sharpening steels, and repairing
machines ................................... 0.420 0.376
0.134 ..,...
Lighting ..................................... 0.157 0.171 0.161
Extending lines (air, pump, etc.). ........... 0.173 0.124 0.100 0.098
Pumping ..................................... 0.301 0.439 0.234 0.207
Contingencies ................................ 0.817 0.879 1.113 1.078
Forms and platforms, makitlg, setting ant’
removing ................................... 2.389 1.902
Use and waste of lumber .................... ...... 0.300 0.294
Handling materials. ...... 0.519 0.341
Sand.. .... .............. :I:::. ................................... ...... 0.264 0.424
Cement ...................................... ...... 1.898 1.807
Stone ......................................... ...... 0.836 0.806
Mixing concrete .............................. ...... 0.784 0.779
Transportation .............................. ...... 0.055 0.000
Placing concrete ............................. ...... 1.342 1.65O
Cleaning up .................................. ...... 0.045 0.091
I
---_-- _-____ ----- ---- -- __-_
Totals............................ $10.431
I
-
TABLE 7--UNIT COSTS OF TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION - NORMAL CONDITIONS.
------_--_--I__----I-_-.---.---
--m-m-- . I -_----_--------
I Cost per ACTUAL CUBIC YARD.
C nncrete
lining.
Dokmit c.
----
General supervision.. . . . . . . . . , . . . , . . . . . , !$I. OF:‘;* $0. om $9.064
Engineering expense ........ *. ..................... / 0.151 0.121 OX7
Field office administration. ......................... 0. m9 om3 k464
Plant and equipment, installation and maintenance OAF3 0.226 0.209
Plant and equipment, 60% of purchase value ...... 0.6fi2 0 529 0.488
General surface labor and supplies ................. 0.327 0.261 0.3?6
Drilling and blasting ................... ........... 1.997 1.67.; ......
Timbering ............. ............................ . 0.035 0.001 ..,...
... ..... ......... ............. 1.736 i .213 ......
Disposal: tunne and surface transporttation 0.7% 0. i4?4 ......
Disposal. scow line and towing ........... i 0.59 0.240
Power and plant running ........ ............... ........I 1.262 1 .055
Making and sharpening steels, and repairing ma-/
.... .. .... ......... .............. ................ 0.2&s 0.3[?6 ......
Lighting ...................... ...................... . O.i58 0.152 0.183
Extendinglines ........ ............................ . 0.1;39 0.142 0.161
Pumping ............................ I 0 . lei2 0.m 0.147
Contingencies.. ....................... ~~~~::::::‘~“~ 0.331 OX26 0.981
Wood forms, making, setting and removing ...... 1 ...... ...... 0.857
steel forms, ma king. setting and removkg ........ ’ e..... . ..... 0.125
Steel forms, charges ................................ ...... 0.353
Use and waste of lumber. ........................ I ...... 0.W
Handling marerials ................................. ...... . ... 0.332
Sand .................................... I . ..*.. ..... 0.323
cement....................................:~::::~:: .. ... .. ..,... 1.918
Stone .................. ........... ................ ’ ...... ...... 0.891
Mixing concrete ............. I ..... 0.487
Transportation.. ............... :::::::::::‘:::::::’ I ,..... ...... 0.102
Placing concrete ............ . / . ...*. .. 1.109
Cleaningup .... ........... ..‘.:::::..:::.:::: ..I ...... ...... 0.270
--.-e---b-- ---.- -._- ____. -_ _ _ --- .---.. .-. -.. _ ---- ,-
Totals.............. . . . ......,......,..l I $9.7Oc3 rif;;“.919 $12.563

I
4
- - _ _ _ _ _ --------------- - _. _ -. _ __ _.__._ _ _ _ _____. _-- - .- __ ____ --_ .-----Y-P-
-------------------------- -- - ---- - -----..-- - _______ __-- _-_____- _____------- ----
The cast-iron pipes in the tunnel from Astoria to The Bronx are
the largest ever made. Their internal diameter is 72 in.; the thickness
of metal in the pipe walls is 2 3/4in.; they have hub and spigot joints,
and were cast in standard 12-ft. lengths. The weight of each pipe is
26 000 lb., and the displacement of water by each length represents
some 24 800 lb., from which it is seen that, even should the tunnel
be allowed to fill with water, the pipes would retain their position
secure.
These mains are arranged in two parallel lines occupying the lower
portion of the tunnel, and are supported on concrete bed-blocks. The
structural steel runway, Fig. 17, for supporting any future utilities
that may be put in, extends through the tunnel and is just above the
mains. The concrete blocks are 6 ft. apart, each block supporting
both lines of pipe. Each 12-ft. length of pipe is supported by two

blocks, and the joints of the two pipe lines are staggered. Every second
block supports a cast-iron column which braces the center of the
transverse runway beams, the actual support for the runway being
provided by cast-iron brackets anchored to the concrete tunnel walls.
In both shafts the two 72-in. pipe lines are connected to the tunnel
lines by double-spigot eccentric reducers and bell-spigot bell tees. All
the vertical risers are 12 ft. long, with both the spigots and bells
machined on the face to take the true bearing of the vertical pressure
loads. At the top of each shaft flanged spigot tees, reducing to 48
in. diameter, connect to 48-in. pipes through the shaft lining into con-
crete valve pits, thence passing underground-in Astoria to the gas
holders, and in The Bronx to the street feeder lines. Each shaft is
equipped with an elevator and an emergency ladder, the elevator fram-
ing also acting as a bracing for the pipe lines. The tunnel runway
extends to the elevator landing at the bottom of each shaft, and in the
, Astoria Shaft there is an operating floor in the enlargement.
During the driving of the tunnel, arrangements proceeded for
putting in the permanent piping, and consisted of unloading and
storing the pipe and structural steel, casting the concrete pipe bed-
blocks, setting bolts in the tunnel side-walls for the support of the
tunnel runway, and the design and construction of additional plant
equipment necessary in laying the pipe.
The pipes, excepting those for the Bronx Shaft., were stored at the
Astoria plant, as the required space was available there and as it was
also the intention to lay them from the Astoria side, this shaft afford-
ing the larger working area. The concrete blocks were cast on the
surface at the Astoria plant, the work being completed fully a year
before the pipe-laying commenced, as to insure the maximum
strength. Collapsible wooden moulds were used, and the mix was a
rich gravel concrete, as it was desired to secure a thoroughly sound
block. The blocks contained reinforcing rods, bolts for securing the
runway columns, and small pipe holes to which the slugs were attached
when lowering into the tunnel. As the saddles were long and of
irregular shape, the reinforcing rods were necessary to prevent fracture
due to their dead load when lifted by the derrick.
The permanent bracket bolts for the support of the tunnel runway
are 12 ft. apart, and there are two bolts at each bracket; but, as it was
intended to use a traveling crane, running on steel girders secured to
the tunnel walls, for which two bolts were insufficient, advantage was
taken of the necessity of the permanent bracket bolts and the crane
track design arranged to utilize those bolts. This resulted in placing
four bolts at each bracket location. The bolts were 1 1/4 in diameter,
24 in. long, and were secured 18 in. in the concrete side-walls.
In laying out the bracket. holes, the marking points were perma-
nently secured, each consisting of a small nail driven into a wooden. plug
set in the concrete walls of the tunnel; thus the points were preserved
until a year later, when they were used for spacing and grading the
pipes. This simplified the necessary field engineering during the
laying of the mains, and was a decided factor in the excellent. progress
attained.
The principal additions to the plant equipment, incidental to the
laying of the 72-in. mains, consisted of a 50-ton steel derrick and
engine, a traveling crane, and two pipe-testing machines.
The steel derrick for handling the 72-in. mains, Fig. 18, had a
50-ft. boom and a 35-ft. mast. Power was supplied by a steam-driven
engine, having a 10-in. cylinder and a 13-in. stroke. The swinging
gear was operated independently by a rotary engine. The hoisting
rope was a six-part line of 3/4-in. special wire cable, and the boom fall
was a twelve-part line of 3/4-in. wire cable. In operating this engine,
the load was lowered by throwing the clutch into gear and allowing
the engine to run backward, instead of throwing on the brakes, as
the friction burned up the wooden brake bands too rapidly. This
method was considerably safer, and gave better control, than by
lowering with a brake. Special slings were constructed for handling
one pipe and two saddles together.
The traveling crane, Figs. 19, 20, and 21--designed by Mr. Hodgson
for handling and erecting the pipe within the tunnel-was constructed
on a wood frame fitted with cast-steel wheels running on steel girders
attached to the concrete tunnel walls by the 1 1/4-in. bolts previously
mentioned. The wheel base of the crane was the same as the bracket
spacing, so that the load on the bracket could not exceed the maximum
wheel load of the crane, which was 15 000 lb. The crane was operated
by two 5-h.p. air engines-one for the longitudinal and the other for
the transverse movement. The speed was from 40 to 50 ft.. per min.,
quite sufficient for the short distance covered. Each end of the crane
_-_- ------_--.- ---- ___--__--- ---. - ---- - --_.-. -----------
--.----,
.a 3,
‘m&?l,
TRAVELING CRANE
FOR PLACING
72 INCH
CAST-RON PIPE
DIMENSIONS OF L.-....
GFAR WHEELS
Number Widl th Diameter Size of
-Marked Pit& diameter Pitch Material Hub
of Teeth of FaPCI of Hole ?Cer
d wav
-,
1 17.1&3” 1 s*Circulrr 36 4” 4 2y ” K W
C.I. 4%.
04
W
2 6.207” 1%” 44 13 4” 2%” %” Steel 4
3 17.1S8” 1” bb 54 ?S” 2%” 66 C.I. 3”
i
4 5.0!Izw 1” 0 16 2%” 2” U”
/a steel ‘6
5 24 .” 4” Diunetral 96 1.X” 3’ 64 C.I. *‘
6 4: 4” 66 16 2” 1 13i;s 3/c” Steel !I”
7 14.183” 1 !G Circular 56 4” 0- 34
24 94 * (2.1. 4%”
.s 7.798” l!J 6) 14 4’ wi” %i” Steel 4”
9 36.788” 1” (1 84 2%” 2%” “ C.I. 2S”i
'10 4.456' 1” Lb 14 2.95” 5” 95” Steel 2g
11 24.” 4 “Diametral 96 1%” 2” (4 C.I. 3”
c
12 4.” 4” 6. 16 2” 1 ‘Xi 36’ Steel
~-
2’
had two swinging arms, to each of which was attached a cable hoist,
operated by an air-driven ram, to lift the crane girders for the purpose
of moving them ahead, section by section, as pipe-laying proceeded.
Although the laying of the main in the tunnel was to be done by
the tunnel construction organization, the jointing of the pipes, when
and as laid, was to be done by the Street Department of Mains of the
At the same time, it devolved on the tunnel organization
to subject all joints to test after they were caulked. The requirements
were that each joint should be subjected to a test by air pressure at
20 lb. per sq. in., and that such test should be applied in each line of
pipe as each ten pipe lengths were laid. It was obvious that this
latter requirement would limit the progress of laying to the rapidity
of caulking operations, and thus interfere seriously with procedure.
Further, to consider plugging the end of the pipe main, and to have
a portable end bulkhead to be erected and secured as each ten lengths
were laid, would have involved great delay, as the caulking operations
would have to be completed up to the last length laid before such
testing could proceed. The writer, therefore, designed a novel machine
(Fig. 22) for testing joints. This was a complete traveling outfit,
consisting of a double bulkhead on a wheeled frame, which could be
pushed by hand through the inside of the pipe mains and enclose any
joint within an annular space. The two bulkheads consisted of pneu-
matic tires inflated to make a tight joint between the testing machine
and the inside wall of the pipe. Two testing machines were assembled
at the tunnel works, one being used for each line of pipe. The machine
consisted of a cast-iron piston, 71 1/2in. in diameter, or 1/2 in. less than
the internal diameter of the pipes. Previous to laying, a great number
of pipes had been calibrated, and the internal diameter was found to
range from a minimum of 71 5/8in. to a maximum of 72 1/4in. This piston
was 24 in. lon g, with exterior flanges, giving an annular space between
flanges of 12 in. The two flanges were designed of cove form, to give
close support to a soft and elastic rubber tube, and the exterior rings,
attached by bolts to the center castling, like a junk ring to a piston,
enabled the rubber packing rings to be inserted and, when inflated,
to give the necessary support. These flanged grooves were fitted with
a solid continuous tire tube, made of the finest inner tube rubber, and
fitted with a standard automobile tire valve, the tube being 24 in. in
external diameter with 3/8-in. rubber walls. These tubes were made up
672 THE ASTORIA TUnNEL
SO that when deflated the exterior diameter was 71 in. The inflation
forced the tire out against the wall of the pipe and filled the grooves
of the piston, and, when deflated, the elasticity of the rubber entirely
withdrew it from contact with the pipe walls while the machine was
pushed backward or forward within the pipes.
As the pressure to which all joints were to be subjected was 20 lb.
per sq. in., it was thought that the pressure to which the tubes would
need to be inflated to make a tight joint might be as high as 80 lb.,
but, actually, though this pressure was used in the first instance, it was
found that 50 lb. was ample to make an absolutely tight, joint for
testing purposes. In operating the machine, the annular space was
moved to a position central over the joint. Air from the high-pressure
tunnel line mains was supplied by a flexible hose and, through a
reducing valve - to step down the constant pressure of 50 lb.-to the
manifold pipes connecting both rubber tubes. These being inflated, the
test pressure was then applied through another reducing valve, a pres-
sure gauge being fixed to the annular space, under the observation of
tion of the test pressure, painted the leaded joints with soap solution
and watched for leaks which would be indicated by the formation
of bubbles. These machines were easily operated on their roller frames,
joints caulked at any point could readily be tested, and, if re-caulked,
could readily be re-tested. In addition to which, owing to the form
of the machine, there was no appreciable end thrust to require other
precautions than were given by the machine itself to balance that
thrust.
The methods adopted in laying the 72-in. pipes in the tunnel con-
sisted of lowering both pipe and saddles down the Astoria Shaft, haul-
ing to the Bronx end, and advancing the work toward Astoria. This
work was only carried on during an S-hour day shift, as it was not
desired to run any risk in handling this heavy material at night. The
pipes were laid in pairs; that is, the operations consisted of the hauling
and setting of two saddles, followed by the hauling and setting of two
pipes; these, in turn, were followed by two more saddles, etc. By main-
taining two saddles ahead of the pipe in place, this scheme permitted
an overlapping of the various operations, such as placing and setting
saddles, setting pipe, moving crane girders, removing hauling track,

etc., thus reducing the loss of time to the minimum.
The pipes, which varied within 1 1/2in. of the correct length, were all
numbered, and were selected from the storage rows as the work pro-
ceeded. Each pipe was transported to the shaft by rolling it on skids
by a single cable engine with the cable looped around it. They were
lowered singly clown the shaft by the steel derrick, and with every
other pipe two saddles were lowered. A tag line was attached from
the pipe to a steel cable guide stretched from top to bottom of the
shaft, to prevent the load from twisting.
The pipes and saddles were landed directly on specially designed
flatcars, and haulage to and from the point of work was by the endless
cable system on a single track. The pipe cars were run at a speed of
6 miles per hour and the other loads at 10 miles per hour. These
speeds were greater than those usually adopted for an endless cable
system in tunnel work, but in this case the system was designed with
the minimum number of sheaves and turns possible, so that these
speeds were readily maintained and without accident.
On the arrival of the saddles at the point of work they were
transferred from the flatcars to the tunnel invert by the crane and
accurately set to alignment, grade being maintained by steel wedging
beneath them. The pipes were taken directly from the flatcars to
position by the crane, two l-in. wire cable slings, each attached to a
IO-ton chain block, being used for raising the loads.
The setting of the pipes was followed, some 200 ft. back, by the
caulking, and this at a like distance was followed by the testing
machines; so that there was no confusion between the various gangs
engaged.
The joints were hand-caulked with small air-driven caulking
hammers, hemp yarn and lead wool being well driven to a depth of
5 1/2in. into the caulking space, which was 5/8 in. wide. This required 4
lb. of soaped yarn, 10 lb. of dry yarn, and 225 lb. of lead, per joint,
the latter including 2% waste. The average progress was sixteen
joints caulked each day with sixteen hammers. Each pipe line was
provided with a portable bulkhead for testing, as previously described.
After this testing, the joints were thickly coated with red lead.
Excellent progress was attained in laying the tunnel pipe,
especially considering the fact that the entire tunnel transportation
in both directions was over a single track. An average daily progress

of twelve pipe lengths was attained for the whole work, and in the
half tunnel length last executed the average progress was as great as
sixteen lengths per day.
The erection of the structural steel runway proceeded from the
Bronx end toward the Astoria Shaft, the material being lowered down
the Bronx Shaft. No difficulty was found in doing this work at the
same rate as pipe-laying, and it was not featured by any incident of
unusual interest.
Personnel. -The undertaking herein described was carried out for
the Astoria Light, Heat and Power Company (an organization closely
affiliated with the Consolidated Gas Company of New York), and was
under the general supervision and direction of Mr. William H. Bradley,
Chief Engineer, and William Cullen Morris, M. Am. Soc. C. E.,
Engineer of Construction. Mr. Colin C. Simpson, Superintendent of
Mains, had direct charge of jointing the pipes inside the tunnel and
of laying the street mains connecting therewith.
The development of the plan for the project of building the
Astoria Gas Plant and the Astoria Tunnel herein described, must be
attributed directly to Mr. Bradley.
The design, engineering, and construction of this entire work
were executed by Jacobs and Davies, Incorporated, as Tunnel
Engineers, for whom the writer acted as Engineer-in-Charge.
The field engineering, including surveying, alignment, and detailed
field work in connection with construction, was first in charge
of Mr. G. F. Weismann, and during the later period was in
charge of Mr. J. Chadwick Scott, who had previously acted as Assistant
Field Engineer. The construction of the work, throughout, was in
charge of Mr. Vivian Messiter as Engineers’ Agent, assisted hy
Mr. Alexander W. Hodgson as Mechanical Engineer.
DISCUSSION ON THE ASTORIA TUNNEL 675
DISCUSSION
F. LAVIS,* M. AM. SOC. C. E. (by letter).-During the past few Mr.

Lavis.
years there has been a notable development, and almost entirely in
the vicinity of New York City, in the construction of tunnels at such
depths below water level as to preclude the possibility of using air
pressure to prevent the inflow of water, should seams in the rock
afford it an opportunity to reach the tunnel with the full head due to
the depth below the water surface.
The other tunnels of this nature which have been built, have been
along the line of the Catskill Aqueduct, where the restrictions con-
fining the location within certain definite limits were not so rigid as
in the case of the Astoria Tunnel, and, therefore, it was possible to
fix them with greater regard for the avoidance of probable bad geolog-
ical conditions. In the case of the deep siphons of the Aqueduct,
sufficient diamond drill borings were taken to enable competent
geologists to predict fairly successfully the character of the rock, and
the location was made in such a way that the tunnel would lie wholly
within the zone in which it was expected to find sound rock, free from
faults, or to cross the latter at or nearly at right angles. So far as
the writer knows, these expectations were reasonably well fulfilled,
and although grouting of water-bearing seams was resorted to, and
very high pressures were used, there has not been recorded, thus far,
any experience comparable to that encountered in the Astoria Tunnel,
and so well and fully described in this paper. The latter is unique
in describing methods of driving a tunnel through unstable ground
with seams of decomposed rock having direct connection with navigable
waters, at a depth of more than 100 ft. below the lowest depth at
which work could be carried on under air pressure, the recovery of
the tunnel after complete flooding, and the solid grouting of the whole
tunnel section to form a stable material through which the tunnel was
finally driven.
It seems to the writer that it is out of the question to discuss in
much detail the methods described in the paper; we have had no similar
experience with which to compare it-the situation was unique, the
methods were effective, and the job is finished. Some other scheme
might have been effective, but no one can say positively that it would,
the only possibility known to the writer is freezing, and there is
nothing in past experience to lead one to believe that it would have
been better, or so good. Probably it is only effective in fairly homo-
geneous material softer than rock, and probably would not work at
all in the shattered rock encountered in this tunnel.
The Society, as well as the author, is to be congratulated on the
excellent manner in which the paper has been presented, and the
* New York City.
676 DISCUSSION ON THE ASTORIA TUNNEL
Mr. completeness of the description contained therein. The writer believes

Lavis that his paper,* describing the construction of the Bergen Hill Tunnels
of the Pennsylvania Railroad, contained the first tabulated statements
in reference to any tunneling work in North America, showing number
of feet drilled per cubic yard, quantities of explosives, actual drilling
time, etc., though, in a lesser degree, such records had been published
in regard to some of the Alpine tunnel work in Europe. He has
noted, therefore, with considerable satisfaction, the presentation of
similar data, not only in this paper, but in several other descriptions
of tunneling operations in recent years. The statement of progress in
number of cubic yards per shift or per day is far more definite than
the statement of the number of feet of advance which may or may
not be of the full clean section. The statement showing the complete
items of the plant is most useful, as are also the details, so often
omitted, of the smaller items, in regard to the excavation of the rock,
such as quality of steel, sizes of holes, kind of fuse, batteries, etc.
The construction of the concrete arch to hold the roof in bad
ground before building the side-walls or invert is not new in this
tunnel, although it is a comparatively recent development in the art
of soft-ground tunneling. So far as the writer knows, its first important
use was in the Providence Tunnel of the New York, New Haven and
Hartford Railroad, built about 10 years ago.
The question as to the desirability or otherwise of using dry rock
packing to fill the space between the normal section of the lining and
the actual excavation is an interesting one. In this case, as well as
in nearly all cases of the tunnels on the Catskill Aqueduct, tight
concrete packing and thorough grouting were clearly indicated as
the only effective method of surely preventing the least disturbance
by settlement of the surrounding ground. In cases similar to that
of the Bergen Hill Tunnels of the Pennsylvania Railroad, however,
the use of dry rock packing over the arch was not only far less
expensive, but proved to be most effective in allowing the ground-water
to reach the drainage pipes at the sides and thus enter the side drains
in the floor, providing a dry tunnel with very little water-proofing.
The value of this paper and the importance of the work which it
describes can only be fully understood by a realization of the fact
that it marks a distinct step forward in the art of tunneling. For
ages, almost, tunneling was only possible through fairly sound rock.
or materials which could be held by close timbering. The shield and
the use of compressed air, brought into really general use only within
the last 30 years, although they had been used previous to that time,
enable tunnels to be driven through water-bearing materials to depths
of about 100 ft. below the surface of the water, the pressure at greater
depths bein g so great as practically to prohibit effective work. We
* Trazrsactions, Am. Sot. C. E., Vol. LXVIII, p. 84.
now have a method of driving tunnels at almost any depth in water- Mr.
bearing ground, and, within certain limits, through almost any class Lavis.
of material.
Perhaps it is not without interest at this time, when it has been
suggested that mining engineers should be called in to advise as
to methods of subway construction, to note-without in the least
detracting from the ability of mining engineers and miners in their
particular field-that nearly all the developments in the art of tunnel-
ing through difficult ground, beyond the art of timbering in com-
paratively small sections, have been made by civil engineers, and for
transportation purposes, rather than by mining engineers or miners.
In the really vast tunneling operations which have been carried on in
New York City and its vicinity in recent years, it is undoubtedly
within the bounds of truth to state that not only has this work been
the greatest, most extensive, and most difficult of its kind, that is, of
tunneling, ever undertaken and carried out successfully anywhere, but
it has been done with fewer accidents, and all the engineers responsible
for this state of affairs deserve commendation.
The record of this work on the Astoria Tunnel shows, also, as do
all records of successful advances in the art of tunneling, and nearly
all records in recent years of advance in the rate of progress, the
absolute necessity of such preliminary study, careful planning, and
efficient organization as usually only engineers are trained to carry
out. It must be remembered, however, that though a carefully studied
plan must be worked out and adhered to, engineers engaged in this
kind of work must be able to adapt it to all sorts of variations as
they arise. It is far from easy, amid the noise, dirt, partial dark-
ness, and, oftentimes, apparent confusion underground, to carry out a
plan which looks well on a drawing-board in a comfortable, well-lighted
office; and when added to all this, the whole East River is likely to
drop in on one at any minute, plans are likely to go by the board.
MILTON H. FREEMAN,* ASSOC M. AM. Soc. C. E. (by letter).-One Mr.
of the most interesting features of this paper is the description of the Freeman
method of excavating through decomposed water-bearing rock. An
excellent opportunity was afforded to obtain positive data concerning
the results of the grouting, as the subsequent excavation exposed the
grout-filled seams. In work of a similar character on the Catskill
Aqueduct, the following were found to be essential features:
1.-An impervious bulkhead against which to grout, which also
furnishes an anchorage for the grout pipes;
2.-A grout tank pressure considerably above the rock water
pressure against which grout is injected;
* Brooklyn, N. Y.
Mr. 3.-Adapting the consistency of the grout to the size of the

Freeman.
cavity to be filled, using thicker grout for very large seams,
and very thin grout for the fine seams.
On the Catskill Aqueduct the first attempt to fill water-bearing
seams ahead of the excavation was made at Shaft 4 of the Rondout
Siphon. This difficult piece of work is fully described by John P.
Hogan, Assoc. M. Am. Soc. C. E., in his paper entitled “Sinking a
Wet Shaft”*
This shaft passes through water-bearing strata, 131 ft. thick.
Nipples were swedged into drill holes, valves put on, and the drilling
was continued through the pipe and valve into the softer water-bearing
strata, the holes furnishing channels for grouting the rock seams.
The method was quite similar to the procedure in the Astoria Tunnel.
It was not found necessary to place a concrete blanket in the bottom
of the shaft as a bulkhead against which to grout, though, at one
time, the rock was so soft that considerable grout was wasted in
clogging the surface seams. Altogether, 2 960 bags of cement were
injected, and grout tank pressures up to 275 lb. per sq. in. were used,
giving a net pressure over and above the ground-water of from 100 to
180 lb. per sq. in. Large seams were especially well filled, the largest
one being 8 in. wide, and quantities of water, up to 400 gal. per min.,
were stopped at different groutings. As excavation progressed, how-
ever, there was considerable seepage from the smaller seams; this was
not cut off, and, for the entire depth of the shaft, amounted to about
450 gal. per min.
At many other places along the line of the Aqueduct, the leakage
from clean-cut open seams was stopped entirely. Near the east shaft
of the Hudson River Siphon, an open seam discharging about 500 gal.
per min. was completely dried by placing a concrete bulkhead across
the heading and forcing in neat cement grout under a pressure of
700 lb. per sq. in., which was 200 lb. greater than the ground-water
pressure.
It was common practice in permanent shafts, which were concrete-
lined, to place this lining -at least, across water-bearing strata-during
the process of shaft-sinkin- g putting in weep-pipes to vent the water,
which pipes were grouted after the concrete had hardened. This
method proved effectual in shutting off leaks of considerable size;
for instance, a leak of 125 gal. per min. in Shaft 5 of the Rondout
Siphon was completely shut off in this manner.
The grouting of the pressure tunnels proper involved one considera-
tion which was not found in the case of the shafts, or in the case of
any tunnel which, during use, is subject to normal air pressure. The
lining in such a shaft or tunnel is in compression from the pressure
* Transactions, Am. Soc. C. E., Vol. LXXIII, p. 398.
of the surrounding rock, earth, or ground-water. The pressure tunnels MR

of the Catskill System pass deep under the valleys, far below the Freeman*
hydraulic gradient, and will be operated under an outward pressure
of from 150 to 650 lb. per sq. in.; although the ground-water pressure
relieves much of this, there remain net bursting pressures up to 200 lb.
per sq. in. under operation. Consequently, the total net outward
pressure is great in the case of tunnels ranging from 11 to 14 1/2ft. in
finished diameter. The concrete lining of such tunnels is not thick
enough to hold under tension, and depends on the rock backing to
carry the load. Seamy, water-carrying rock furnishes a ready channel
to take away water which may escape through the concrete lining.
Furthermore, rock which is very seamy and broken does not furnish
such a good backing for the concrete lining. Thus, the grout which
was injected into the surrounding rock seams, helped in two ways:
in solidifying the rock and making a better backing for the concrete,
and in closing some channels which would carry away any water that
might leak through the concrete lining. To meet this condition, an
attempt was made, by using the tunnel lining as a bulkhead, to grout
farther back into the seams, and to fill smaller seams than had been
done during the process of excavation.
The first trial was made at Shaft 4, north, of the Rondout
Siphon, where the tunnel passes through the water-bearing High Falls
shale and Binnewater sandstone, both of which are broken, porous
rocks, particularly so at this point, as they are twisted and crushed in
a fault zone. The length of tunnel in this rock is about 250 ft.
During excavation an effort was made to grout off the leakage in the
heading, and a little was stopped, but the attempt was not wholly
successful. No concrete bulkhead was built against which to grout,
and the rock was so weak that the face could not be solidified sufficiently
to form a backing for grouting pressures. Finally, a test-hole was
driven with a diamond drill 250 ft. ahead through the water-bearing
strata. Gradually, the leakage decreased, indicating a lowering of
the ground-water level, more pumps were put in, and excavation was
completed without additional grouting. The maximum leakage in this
section was 2 000 gal. per min. A complete account of this work has
been given by B. H. Wait, Assoc. M. Am. Soc. C. E.*
The thickness of the concrete lining through this wet section was
24 in., twice the ordinary minimum thickness. As a drip-pan to pro-
tect the soft concrete from the incoming water, and as a form of
reinforcement for the tunnel lining, a steel shell was erected for a
length of 174 ft. This consisted of 6-in. I-beam ribs bent nearly to
a circle, but open at one side, the open ends fitting to the concrete
invert which was placed first. For a covering, 3/16-in. plates were
Engineering Record, Vol. LXIII, p. 660, June 17th, 1911.
Mr. bolted to the ribs, and no attempt was made to secure water-tight
Freeman. joints.
l l
The concrete invert contained a longitudinal drain with

Y-branches to each side, which picked up the leakage. The tunnel
1.1
at this point was on a 15% incline, and drained itself readily.
The space between the steel shell and the rock was very carefully
dry-packed, and afterward the concrete lining was placed inside this
shell. Two sets of grout pipes were used, one leading through the
concrete to this dry-packed section, the other set being carried from
1 to 3 ft. into the rock seams.
The dry packing outside the concrete was grouted first, while the
pipes to the seams remained open to discharge the rock leakage, except
those which were closed temporarily on account of leaking grout, when
some of the thick grout worked back into the larger seams. Before
grouting the dry packing, the inward leakage was 900 gal. per min.,
but after this grouting was completed, the deep-seated pipes discharged
only 540 gal. per min., as the thick grout had worked back into some
of the larger seams and cut down the leakage.
A start was made to grout the rock seams proper by injecting an
ordinary mixture (95 lb. of cement to 58 gal. of water) of neat grout
into a deep-seated pipe leaking about 4 gal. per min. and 3 bags of
cement plugged the seam. Then, at the suggestion of T. H. Wiggin,
N. Am. Soc. C. E., Designing Engineer of the Pressure Tunnels, this
pipe was re-opened, cleaned out, and a very thin mixture used (23 3/4lb.
of cement to 28 gal. of water). Of the latter mixture, 24 bags were
injected into this same hole which had refused at 3 bags of the thicker
mixture. The use of the very thin grout was continued with grouting
pressures up to 300 lb. per sq. in. The tunnel-service pressure was
100 lb. per sq. in., higher pressures being furnished by a Westinghouse
(booster) compressor. Two compressors were piped with two grout
tanks, so that either compressor could be used with either tank. With
one tank charging and the other discharging, the stream of grout was
kept practically continuous. The rock-water pressure grouted against
was 20 lb. per sq. in. If a pipe took grout easily at a pressure of
100 lb., the mixture was thickened a little (47 1/2lb. of cement to 28 gal.
of water), and, if this continued for some time, the thickening was
increased to 1 bag per 28 gal. of water. When the injection pressure
began to rise, the mixture was thinned again. Pipes were considered
full which refused the thinnest grout under a pressure of 300 lb. It
was noticeable that the grout traveled some distance (from 30 to 40 ft.)
in the seamy rock, showing up at other pipes, and cutting down the
leakage at those pipes and filling the seams back of them. Not more
than one in ten of the pipes leading to the rock seams took any
considerable quantity of grout, though every pipe was tried. After
all grouting was completed in this section, the inward leakage was
less than 1 gal. per min., due, perhaps, to a good concrete lining and Mr.
not wholly to grouting. In a length of 174 ft. of tunnel, 940 bags of Freeman*
cement were injected into the rock seams, the finished diameter of
the tunnel at this place being l4 1/2ft.
After the ground-water level was restored, four test holes were
drilled about 3 ft. out into the grouted rock, where heavy leakages had
occurred at the time of excavation. Two of these holes were practically
dry, the third discharged 1/2 gal. per min., but the fourth struck a
water-bearing seam and discharged 71 gal. per min. The latter hole
was in the bottom of the tunnel, the others were at the horizontal
diameter and the top. It is conceivable that the bottom might show
the poorest results, as the ultimate direction of grout flow is upward.
A gauge reading showed the rock water pressure to be 117 lb. per
sq. in.
Another section of the same siphon, through blocky, seamy Helder-
berg limestone, took 946 bags of thin grout in a length of 50 ft. Two
test holes, 3 ft. into the rock, showed no leakage.
Though absolute assurance cannot be given that all the seams
were filled, the volume of cement injected indicates that many of
them were closed by this method, which thicker grout would have
clogged at the openings and left unfilled.
A difficulty arose in grouting a combination of large and small
seams, as the large seams furnished an easy egress for thin grout,
and the small seams clogged at the entrance with the thicker mixture.
By increasing the cement per batch, if the pressure of injection
remained low, and decreasing it again as the pressure rose, an attempt
was made to adjust the consistency of the batch to the size of the
seam.
W. H. BRADLEY, ESQ.*- At a time when the outlook on the tunnel Mr.
Bradley,
work was very dark, a prominent official of the Company said to the
speaker “I was informed by an engineer that the tunnel is a failure
that it will never be completed”. The speaker replied “You have
never heard me say that, when you do you may take it to be a fact;
at present it is not a fact”.
To carry Mr. Davies’ description of the pipe testing a little farther:
About 2 weeks ago, one of the main pipes in the tunnel was tested,
first by filling it with water which was allowed to rise about 40 ft.
in the stand-pipes, giving a pressure of about 20 lb.; the joints were
then inspected thoroughly for possible leaks, after which the water
was run out and an air pressure of 40 lb. per sq. in. was applied, each
joint being inspected by applying soap and water. After this inspec-
tion, water was again put in, the stand-pipes being filled to the top
of the shaft, which created a pressure of about 125 lb. per sq. in. in
- ~~
* Chief Engineer, Consolidated Gas Company, New York City.
Mr. the pipe. This may seem to have been unnecessary-after the previous
Bradley.
tests-but it was a precautionary measure intended to expel all air
from the pipe, because air and gas form an explosive mixture and
there is likely to be serious trouble if a light reaches it. When the
pipe was filled with water, the gas valves at both ends were opened,
and, as the water was drawn out, the main was filled with gas with
no mixture of air. This main is now in daily use.
The same procedure is being followed with the second main.
The head-houses are now being erected over the tunnel shafts, the
elevators, pumping plant, telephone and lighting circuits are being
installed, and the work will soon be completed.
Mr. JAMES F. SANBORN, * ASSOC. M. AM. SOC. C. E.-It would be in-
Sanborn.
teresting to have a description of the difficulties in putting in the
vertical pipes in the shaft. Were any curving rings or shims required?
The speaker asks for this information because, in the work of the
New York Board of Water Supply, there was trouble in erecting the
risers of the City tunnel shafts, which were steel pipes, and it was
found expedient to use a hub and spigot arrangement.
Mr. EDWARD WEGMANN ,* M. AM. SOC. C. E.-This paper is a very
Wegmann.
valuable contribution to the engineering literature of tunneling, and,
doubtless, will be consulted by other engineers who encounter diffi-
culties similar to those met in the Astoria Tunnel. The paper is very
complete, as it describes in detail, not only the construction of the
tunnel, but, also, the plant and methods used.
The speaker is particularly interested in the paper because he
was one of the engineers on the tunnel, constructed in 1885 to 1891
under the Harlem River as part of the New Croton Aqueduct, in
driving which decomposed rock, similar to that described by the
l
author, had been encountered. The tunnel was about 1300 ft. long
and required a circular excavation, 14 ft. in diameter.
Before the work was begun, numerous diamond-drill borings were
made to ascertain the character of the rock through which the tunnel
was to be driven. Near Manhattan Island the rock was found to
be gneiss, but for the greater part it was limestone having many
seams. A pocket of decomposed rock was discovered in the gneiss
formation, and was investigated by making borings about 50 ft. apart.
Based on the indications of the diamond-drill borings, the tunnel
was planned so as to have its invert about 155 ft. below mean tide.
It was thought that at this level there would be at least 30 ft. of solid
rock above the tunnel, but when the heading had advanced about 300
ft. from Manhattan
.3 Island, a seam of rock, full of water, was struck
by the drills. Water poured into the tunnel, and the workmen ran
l New York City.
for their lives. Sand and stone soon filled the drill holes, and made Mr.
Wegmann.
it possible to close them with wooden plugs.
A diamond drill was taken into the heading, and the ground in
front and below the heading was explored by borings. In order to
insure safety while this work was going on, a strong timber bulkhead,
with a suitable gate, was built- in the heading, just back of the
diamond drill.
The test borings showed that the seam of decomposed rock extended
about 75 ft. below the tunnel, instead of terminating 30 ft. above it,
as had been believed by the engineer. In front of the heading, the
seam was found to be 28 ft. wide, and beyond it there was limestone
containing seams in which the water was under the full pressure due
to the river, i. e., under a head of more than 150 ft.
The important question arose as to how the tunnel was to be con-
structed through the seam of decomposed rock and through the lime-
stone. Negotiations were held with the company controlling the
patents for the freezing process, which had been used very successfully
for sinking shafts through quicksand. This company was very will-
ing to undertake the work on a percentage basis, but would not give
any guaranties with regard to success.
The engineers in charge of the work were anxious to try to drive
a pilot tunnel through the soft ground, but the contractor who was
to do this work was very loath to undertake it, as it necessitated buy-
ing large pumps. Apparently, he had more influence with the Aque-
duct Commissioners, under whose direction the New Croton Aqueduct
was built, than the engineers of the Commission. By an order of
this Commission, the engineers were directed to abandon the 300 ft.
of tunnel that had been excavated to the soft seam, and to start another
heading about 301 ft. below mean tide. At this level no difficulties
were encountered.
The only additional cost of constructing the tunnel at the new
level was in the lowering and hoisting of materials, but this was more
than offset by the fact that the tunnel was very dry at the lower
level. In spite of these circumstances, the contractor, assisted by able
counsel, sued the City of New York for seventy items, aggregating
about $350 000, for the additional cost of constructing the tunnel at
the lower level, and for some other extras. The original contract price
for the work was only about $500 000.
The lawsuit against the City was begun in 1890, but the con-
tractor’s lawyers waited 16 years, before they brought the case to
trial. They thought, probably, that their chances of success would
be better when the engineers and inspectors, who had been connected
with the work, had gone West or died. The City won the suit twice,
but the Court of Appeals sent it back a third time for retrial. The
case was about finished before a referee, when this gentleman, un-
.
Mr. fortunately, died. Twenty-four years after the suit was begun, it was
Wegmann.
settled out of Court by the City paying the contractor $25 000 on
claims amounting to $350 000. It would be interesting to know what
part of the $25 000 was received by the contractor’s lawyers and how
much by the contractor himself. The speaker mentions this lawsuit
to show some of the difficulties, other than soft seams, which engineers
encounter in tunneling.
Mr-. R. C. KELLOGG,* Assoc. M. AM. Soc. C. E.-The Astoria Tunnel is
Kellogg.
one of the principal connecting links in a vast scheme of gas distribu-
tion which comprehends sending out from the Astoria works, at some
future time, approximately 200 000 000 cu. ft. of gas every 24 hours,
part of which may eventually be pumped as far as Albany. This will
not only rid Manhattan Island of unsightly gas manufacturing struc-
tures, but will also benefit the towns through which the supply may
travel. The Astoria gas plant itself, when completed according to the
plans conceived, will contain ten units, each capable of manufactur-
ing 20 000 000 cu. ft. of gas every 24 hours, and ten storage holders
each having a capacity of 15 000 000 cu. ft.
Mr. W. W. Brush, ,t M. AM. SOC. C. E.-It may be of interest to men-
Brush.
tion the fact that the engineers of the New York Board of Water Supply
studied a line for a water supply tunnel which would follow somewhat
closely that of the gas tunnel the construction of which has been
described so clearly and interestingly by Mr. Davies. The future water
supply of New York City will necessitate the delivery of large quan-
tities into Queens Borough, which contains the maximum area available
for development within the city, and where eventually an enormous
manufacturing center will probably be found, with a large consump-
tion of water.
The studies made several years ago to locate the tunnel to deliver
the Catskill supply to the five boroughs indicated that a rock tunnel
could probably be driven successfully into Astoria and carried through
the rock into the Borough of Brooklyn, but that the cost would be
decidedly greater than a tunnel along the adopted line under the
Bronx and Manhattan to Brooklyn. One of the uncertain elements
of cost was the driving of the tunnel under the East River, probably
passing under Randall’s and Ward’s Islands. The question of deter-
mining the character of the rock at the contacts between the various
formations was deemed to be a difficult problem.
Ultimately, however, in all probability, a tunnel will be driven
under the East River, near the Gas Company’s tunnel, for the pur-
pose of delivering an additional water supply to the Borough of Queens
and in part to the Borough of Brooklyn. The experience of the Gas
+ Brooklyn, N. Y.
t New York City.
Company will then furnish especially interesting and valuable infor- Mr.
mation for the engineers who will lay out the line and grade of the Brush .
later tunnel. A water tunnel can readily be driven at any depth
desired, and therefore the engineers may avoid some of the difficulties
mentioned by Mr. Davies. .
The riser pipes in the shafts of the Astoria-Bronx tunnel are em-
bedded in concrete, and are therefore self-supporting.
THOMAS H. WIGGIN,* M. AM. Soc. C. E.-In the Catskill Aqueduct ML
pressure tunnel siphon the rock conditions were similar to those de- Wiggin*
scribed by the author. The first case was in the sinking of Shaft 4 of
the Rondout inverted siphon which crosses the valley of Rondout
Creek near High Falls, west of Kingston, N. Y. This was described in
a paper+ by J. P. Hogan, Jun. Am. Soc. C. E., and a discussion by the
speaker adds other data, notably some from a very interesting shaft of
the Detroit Salt Company. In Shaft 4 of the Rondout Siphon heavily
water-bearing rock was encountered, as had been predicted from the
preliminary borings and pumping tests in certain of these borings. At
a depth of about 225 ft. the inward flow was more than 800 gal. per
min. At first ordinary drill holes, and finally diamond-drill borings,
made around the periphery of the shaft from the level to which sinking
had progressed, were grouted, after which excavation was resumed with
continued precautions as to drilling, carrying a pilot hole ahead and
grouting through water-bearing drill holes. The leakage was very
much reduced by the grouting, and would doubtless otherwise have
reached very large quantities. In grouting this shaft, 971 bbl. of
cement were used. Some of the seams were wide, 8 in. being the
maximum.
The grout when encountered in the seams during subsequent exca-
vation was like moderately soft limestone, and showed very fair
strength.
Later, in the tunnel driven from this shaft, the same wet rock
strata were encountered, again in the position expected from the bor-
ings, and similar grouting was done in advance of excavation, though
not so successfully. The maximum leakage into the tunnel in this
stretch was about 2 000 gal. per min. This did not interfere so much
with operations as it might have under other conditions, because the
tunnel was driven up on a 15% grade. The water made a very pretty
cascade. A heavy concrete bulkhead, with a door, had been built
between this stretch of tunnel and the shaft, in order to avoid loss of
the tunnel in case of meeting a sudden inflow.
Much of the rock in this piece of tunnel was divided into very
small blocks by water-bearing seams, and the impression was gained,.
------- -._I___
* New York City.
t Transactions, Vcl. JAXXIII, 1911, p. 398.
Mr. from such groutin g as was done, that general impregnation by grout
Wiggin
would be impossible with any practicable number of holes. Hence, the
leakage was taken care of by a system of bottom drains and a shield
of steel angle ribs and plates laid shingle-wise, which kept the water
off the concrete while it was being placed. The space behind the steel
was at first “dry-packed” with rock fragments, and was grouted after
the concrete lining had been placed within the shield. The drains
were also grouted. This method resulted in making this very wet por-
tion of the siphon almost bone dry when completed.
In the Hudson Tunnel, where grouting pressures of about 1000 lb.
per sq. in. were used, the rock is generally solid and hard. It is what
most people, from casual examination, would call a granite; geologists
call it granodiorite. In general, the rock was rather tight, but within
2 or 3 ft. of a drill hole that was almost dry, another hole struck a
flow of about 200 gal. per min. which temporarily overcame the pump-
ing facilities causing the heading, which was then about 275 ft. long,
to fill.
After the tunnel was pumped out, the leakage was collected in
pipes, and a concrete bulkhead was placed at the end of the heading
and anchored to the rock by steel rods. Four or five additional drill
holes were made into the water-bearing region, which was identified
by feelers as a narrow seam across the tunnel. The combined flow of
all holes previous to grouting was found to be about 550 gal. per min.,
but was under control by gated pipes. A ground-water pressure of
400 lb. per sq. in. was recorded when the pipes were closed. The seam
was finally grouted through the drill holes under a pressure of 1000
lb. per sq. in. The tunnel at that point is more than 1100 ft. below
sea-level, and this high grouting pressure was required to overcome the
ground-water’ head and the friction of the grout.
The equipment generally used on the Catskill works for grouting
is a tank with top door and various pipes arranged so that the grout
may be mixed by the release of air through the bottom pipe and ejected
by forcing air into the top of the tank. This is the so-called Canniff
grouting machine. In the Hudson Tunnel, air at a pressure of 1000
lb. was not available for forcing out the grout. At first the attempt
was made to pump the grout by plunger pump, but the pump valves
soon wore out. The pump was then repaired and used to force water
instead of air into the grouting machine on top of the grout, thus
causing gradual dilution as well as displacement of the grout, but
doing perfect grouting nevertheless.
A heavy concrete bulkhead, with a thick hinged cast-steel door, had
been placed across the tunnel to prevent another flooding, and a liberal
pumping equipment was put in. The tunnel was then driven through
the wet ground, and a narrow seam which had been grouted could be
V I U
seen across the roof and sides of the tunnel, with only a few drops of Mr.
Wiggin.
water coming from it here and there.
This Hudson Tunnel, which is about 3 020 ft. long, had been ex-
plored by about a dozen vertical holes and by two pairs of inclined
borings, the longest of which was about 2 052 ft. The holes of each
pair of inclined borings passed each other near the middle of the river
and solid core was taken from all the holes, so that it was known that
the tunnel would be in good granite nowhere less than 150 ft. thick
above the tunnel. Although considerable water in the aggregate was
encountered in these holes, as is usual in granite, so large a flow con-
centrated at one seam was surprising, particularly as at that point
the rock was not less than 700 ft. thick above the tunnel. This ex-
perience serves to emphasize the fact that in many kinds of rock very
wet seams may be found, surprisingly close to very dry ground and
under a thick roof of apparently sound rock.
The speaker has been very much interested in Mr. Davies’ paper,
and particularly in the success of the method of grouting a large num-
ber of holes, and grouting back into the body of the rock. This process
has been demonstrated very beautifully by this tunnel, and also by
the Catskill work, and is doubtless bound to be used more and more
in difficult ground. At the same time, the speaker thinks that engi-
neers who have had experience with wet ground will be inclined more
and more to keep away from it, even at a considerable expense for
exploration and the deepening of the tunnel.
‘On the Catskill work it was found that depth was no particular
drawback. When the engineers started planning pressure tunnels, 200
ft. was thought to be pretty deep for such purposes. Some of these
early studies look rather absurd in the light of the finished work. The
idea of liberal depth gradually *gained force; and if some of the work
were to be done over again, even greater depths would probably be
used in places.
WILLIAM CULLEN MORRIS,* M. AM. Soc. C. E. (by letter).-In relation Mr.
to this paper, some information relative to the accident and casualty Morris*
features of the work may be of interest. At the start of operations
the Company decided, in view of the high rates prevailing for work
of this class, to undertake the insurance, instead of placing it with a
casualty company. A very liberal policy was adopted by the Company
in the treatment of the men, allowing them full time during incapacity
owing to any cause (either illness or accident) and furnishing medical
attendance and supplies during the period of disability. Field hos-
pitals were maintained at each end of the tunnel,. with orderlies in
constant attendance. Arrangements were made with neighboring hos-
pitals for prompt ambulance service in case of emergency, and every
* New York City.
Mr. precaution was taken so that injuries could be treated to the best
Morris:
advantage. A physician was employed to supervise each of the hos-
pitals, and the orderlies reported directly to these physicians all cases
of first aid or disability treatment.
A force was organized for continuous inspection of the work, with
a view of eradicating all preventable causes of accidents, the inspectors
patrolling the work and immediately bringing to the attention of the
tunnel force any features they might notice which might result in
accidental injury. This feature of the work created some confusion
for a time, but after several weeks of trying out, the arrangements
were perfected to such an extent that there was no interference with
rapid progress.
The accident treatment record and accident prevention were all
under the direct supervision of the Company’s Engineer, Mr. Harold
Carpenter, who reported to the Company’s construction office.
The record of accidents throughout the work is as follows:
Total accidents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 525
Serious accidents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Total time lost. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.78%
Cases sent to outside hospitals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Cases treated in tunnel hospital. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Cost of accidents in relation to pay-roll. . . . . . . . . . 5.36%
Mr. JOHN VIPOND DAVIES,* M. AM. SOC. C. E. (by letter) .-The very
Davies.
interesting
l
contributions by Messrs. Freeman, Wiggin, and Wegmann,

as to the experience in the Catskill Aqueduct, illustrate the principal
points of difference between that undertaking and the Astoria Tunnel.
In the latter the primary feature was the consolidation of the soft and
partly decomposed rock in order to permit of the construction of the
tunnel, and, secondarily, the filling of the fissures, for the purpose of
stopping leaks. The primary feature in the case of the Catskill Aque-
duct was the absolute filling of all voids and the stoppage of leaks, and,
secondarily, the consolidation of the rock.
For the stoppage of leaks and the consolidation of the rock, con-
siderable grouting had been done in 1892 and 1893 in the construction
of the East River Gas Company’s tunnel at 70th Street, Manhattan,
referred to in the paper. At that time the writer ordered cement,
specially burned, with the elimination of any plaster admixture, so as
to obtain the most rapid setting material. That tunnel was constructed
at a comparatively shallow depth, and there was so little cover between
it and the bed of the river that high pressure could not be used. The
same condition occurred in the construction of the Hudson and Man-
hattan Tunnels, where large quantities of cement grout were also
l New York City.
used for the purposes just referred to, and, in that case, also, the corn- Mr.
paratively shallow depth of these tunnels precluded any high-pressure Davies.
grouting. In this latter case it was found that grout would follow the
line of least resistance and pass out with little interruption into
sewers, drains, or watercourses, without generally spreading into the
soil, to give the results which were attained with the high pressures
and greater resistances encountered in the Catskill Aqueduct and the
Astoria Tunnel.
Mr. Sanborn inquires as to the erection of the vertical risers.
These pipes were of cast iron, 2 3/4in. thick, with hub and spigot joints.
It was specified that they were to be machine-faced on the bearing
surfaces in hubs and ends of spigots, so that there should be a true fit
at every joint. Unfortunately, the facing of the two ends was not
executed from common centers, the result being that these pipes-
which as designed should have given perfect vertical alignment-were,
when erected, found to be in error, with a regular creep from the
vertical, due to imperfections in foundry work, and this necessitated
the use of wrought-iron shims to bring them into correct vertical
alignment.
Mr. Lavis refers to the relations of mining engineers to the various
tunnel operations now being carried on in New York City. It occurs
to the writer that there is a general misunderstanding as to the use of
the term “mining engineer” in this respect. In common with other
engineers engaged on subway construction in New York City, the
writer has been, to a considerable extent, brought up with coal mining
and other underground operations. The timbering and methods of
construction used by coal and metalliferous miners are as far removed
from the methods of the engineer engaged in subway work as it is
possible to conceive. The class of mining involved in subway and
tunnel construction is distinctly a development of business, entirely
apart from the ordinary practice of those engineers engaged in such
purely mining operations. The men employed in England are known
as “miners”, but this class consists of those essentially engaged on
engineering work in heavy soft ground tunneling, not in mining opera-
tions. A large majority of those engaged in this business in New York
have learned their trade in Europe, or from those who have brought
the art from Europe, and there should be no conflict in the distinction
between so-called mining engineering and engineering connected with
tunnel work. The so-called mining engineer knows little of the type
of timbering used in these tunnels.
Mr. Morris calls attention to the provisions for attending to ac-
cidents and casualties. The writer desires to state that in the treat-
ment of employees injured or incapacitated on this work, the Astoria
Light, Heat and Power Company provided more liberally than any
Mr. employer with whom he has had any previous experience. As there
Davies.
were no hospitals in the vicinity of the shafts, the officers of this com-
pany decided to build them especially for this work; they equipped them
completely, not only for rendering first aid, but also for the actual
treatment of cases under competent medical supervision. The adjust
ments with employees were most liberal, and it is of interest to note
that, notwithstanding this great care and the liberality in all cases,
the entire cost of the accident account amounted to only 5.36%, of
the pay-rolls.

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What was the purpose of the Astoria Tunnel project?

What was the purpose of the Astoria Tunnel project?

What challenges were faced during construction of the tunnel?

What challenges were faced during construction of the tunnel?

AMERICANSOCIETYOF CIVIL ENGINEERS

Paper No. 1359

THE ASTORIA TUNNEL UNDER THE EAST RIVER

WITH DISCUSSION BY MESSRS. F. LAVIS, MILTON H. FREEMAN, W. H

REPRINT EDITION COPYRIGHT (C)1999 TERENCE M. KENNEDY

Paper No. ~59

THE ASTORIA TUNNEL UNDER THE EAST RIVER

WITH Discussion BY MESSRS. F. LAviS, MILTON H. FREEMAN, W. W.

4.-Sinking of the shafts, 30 and 42 ft. external diameter,

The writer has endeavored to give a comprehensive description of

tions which were iron lined and a rectangular section 10 by 8 ft.

598 THE ASTORIA TUNNEL

The construction involved in this undertaking consisted of a ver-

This caused the adoption of a tunnel cross-section 18 ft. on the vertical

Two 100-lb. pressure, Ingersoll-Rand air compressors ; total ca-

One " " " 800 " " "

Rolling Stock and Haulage.-

Shaft Sinking in Earth.

Shaft Sinking in Rock.

rock was of treacherous character, and the introduction of the lining

FIG. 4 .-LOOKING DOWN THE ASTORIA SHAFT.

FIG. 6 .-HEADING AT STATION 35 + 36.

Quantities.- The following tabulation presents the unit quantities

Pounds of 60% Forcite used per cubic yard. . . . 1.2 1.1

Progress and Unit Costs.- Excellent progress was attained in the

Bronx Bronx y;+;;” ’ Bronx

Excavating earth.. . 2 687 367 16.8 2.9 159.7 126.6

Total construction. . 177.4 124.1 . ..... ......

TABLE 2.-DIMENSIONS OF SHAFTS.

Astoria Shaft. Bronx Shaft.

External diameter, earth section ............................. 42 ft. 30 ft.

TABLE 3.-UNIT TOTAL COSTS OF SHAFTS.

PER ACTUAL PER

Earth excavation ............................ $7.05 $2.67 $365.81 $75.39

5.-TUNNEL DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS.

Bronx Heading.- The Bronx Shaft reached a sufficient depth for

TABLE 4.-AVERAGE UNIT DRILLING AND BLASTING QUANTITIES FOR

Fordham Gneiss. Stockbridge Dolomite.

Heading. 1Bench Total. 1 Heading. / Bench./ Total. s

Drilling, in feet #......................

Overbreakage.--Notwithstanding numerous experiments in the

irregularity in cross-section. The large quantities

TYPICAL METHODS OF DRILLING HEADING AND BENCH IN GNEISS

---lst Shot Heading cut and first round of bench.

Strength and Size of Powder used. 60%1 1/2-in. Forcitc

Size of Starting and Ending Bits 3-in and 1 3/4-in.

E-44 lng. Rand - 3 5/8-in.

Average number of Drills used at one time 5 4

Average time drilling a Complete Hound 44.1 man-hr. 56.5 man-hr.

5.3 ft. per man 4.6 ft. per man

TABLE 5.-PROGRESS OF ROCK EXCAVATION IN TUNNEL UNDER

Linear feet AVERAGE DAILY PROGRESS.

MeanAstoria end, in gneiss anii dolomite . . . . . . . . . .

Based on the results in Table 5, the average monthly (30-day) ad-

ARRANGEMENT OF CONCRETE ARCH